More than half the taxis and private hire vehicles licensed by a borough which inspected in a spot check failed their safety tests.

Police and Hyndburn Council officers conducted the operation earlier on April 26.

The random, high scrutiny checks involved 17 vehicles licensed to carry fare-paying passengers.

Of the 13 certified by Hyndburn Council seven were found to have faults and five were suspended from operation until the defects were rectified.

The faults included a variety of safety issues, including headlight bulbs not working, side lights not working, and number plate lights not working.

The a multi-agency safety spot-checks on licensed vehicle operating within the borough of Hyndburn by specialist police officers and the Council’s Vehicle Maintenance Unit will continue to be carried out without prior warning as part of the multi-agency initiative to maintain high standards and improve safety.

Cllr Sajid Mahmood, Hyndburn Council's licensing boss, said: “These safety checks are carried out in addition to the regular checks that are carried out every four months to most licensed vehicles (dependent on age), ensuring that the council’s high standards for vehicle safety are always met.

"I would like to thank all the agencies involved in providing these essential checks that help make Hyndburn a safer place to live in.”