ALMOST a third of private hire cabs stopped as part of a safety blitz were found to have potentially life-threatening faults, it was revealed today.

And today firms were warned that if vehicles persistently fail in blitzes, licences for the entire company will be reviewed.

Of 26 vehicles inspected in Blackburn town centre on Friday night, just eight were given the all-clear by police and licensing enforcement officers.

Eighteen had faults identified -- eight of which were so serious that the cars were taken off the road straight away. The remaining 10 have a set period of time to complete repairs.

The eight danger vehicles had their taxi plates removed and MoTs retracted and drivers were told they could not use the cars until a new MoT had been issued.

Council bosses said a letter will be sent to all private operators reminding them of the importance of ensuring that all licensed vehicles are in roadworthy condition.

It is the latest in a series of crackdowns in the borough. A shortage of black taxis -- which are allowed to pick up people off the street without being booked in advance -- has led to people relying more on private hire vehicles, which have to be booked in advance.

This has prompted the council to keep a closer eye on the standards of vehicles licensed in the borough.

Operators who have had vehicles fail in previous blitzes will be subjected to a review of their licence.

Coun Frank Connor, executive member for citizens and consumer rights, said: "While these figures give cause for concern, members of the public should be reassured that only vehicles which had obvious faults were stopped for inspection and the vast majority of the taxis in use in the town centre meet required safety standards.

"The police and the council take this issue very seriously and I would warn the owners of private hire vehicles that we will be carrying out further checks. If they are unsure as to whether their vehicle is roadworthy, they should get it examined."

Sgt Stuart Isherwood from the Road Policing Unit at Accrington said: "It is again disappointing to find that a significant number of the vehicles had defects so serious they had to be prohibited from use. The police will work with our partners to ensure the safety of members of the public is not compromised and we intend to carry out similar exercises in the near future."