EMERGENCY services have raised a toast to drive home this year's "Don't Drink and Drive" message.

Police, ambulance and fire crews launched the campaign outside Leigh Fire Station on Monday with Christmas Mocktails.

The range of non-alcoholic drinks has been created by the Department of Transport's THINK road safety experts to encourage drivers to stay safe over the festive period.

The emergency services joined forces to try to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured at this time of year.

Local firefighters have also devised their own warning leaflet which will be distributed by operational crews.

They will be handed out in pubs, supermarkets and off-licenses in the Leigh, Atherton and Hindley areas to drive home the dangers of getting behind the wheel while over the limit.

The leaflet depicts a crashed car surrounded by firefighters with the headline "THIS DRIVER WAS THE LIFE AND SOUL OF THE PARTY" "DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE THIS CHRISTMAS"

Station Commander Terry McDermott said: " It is an unfortunate fact that at this time of the year we tend to see an increase in the number of road traffic accidents we attend, some of which have involved drunk drivers.

"Firefighters now rescue more people from road accidents than fires.

"We have state of the art rescue equipment and firefighters with advanced first aid skills but we would rather not have to use either.

"That is the reason why we will be supporting this campaign."