AN East Lancashire business is saving companies thousands of pounds thanks to an enterprising former police officer.

For 10 years, Adrian Shurmer was one of Lancashire Police's driving elite. He even taught the VIP Protection squad drivers how to drive.

Now, he is the chairman of Driver Awareness - a business that lifts the lid on the knowledge he gained as a police officer.

"When I was in the police force, I realised there was a huge gap between what my officers were taught about driving and what the general public is told," said Great Harwood-based Adrian.

"In fact, the staff at the driving school at the police HQ were constantly asked by people if they could attend police driving courses. These people - individuals and companies - came from a wide range of backgrounds, but they were all turned away.

"I always felt it wasn't good enough. That is how Driver Awareness was born. We are completely different from advanced driving schools because we don't set out to teach people how to drive. Driver Awareness is focused on how to think when you are driving. When people come out with me, I do the driving. It is not about tests and certificates, it is more concerned with changing your mind-set."

Adrian, who put his name to a much-loved Hyndburn guidebook - originally designed to help new constables find their way around the area - started his courses in the early 1990s.

One of his first clients was Silentnight Beds in Barnoldswick. The company had a problem with increased motor vehicle insurance premiums because of the number of accidents involving their sales staff.

"We have been advising their drivers ever since," said Adrian. "Silentnight has put around 1,000 of their fleet drivers through our courses."

Over that time, the company has saved in excess of £500,000 thanks to a combination of reduced accident rates, lower insurance premiums and reduced

repair and maintenance costs.

Graham Butterfield, sales director of Silentnight, is a real fan. He said: "Two-day driver awareness advice is like a lifetime of education - not on how to drive, more on how to think, look and behave. Since our sales team discovered the art of Driver Awareness, our accident rate has dropped to almost nil - a massive saving both in lost selling time and repair costs."

Saving money is one thing, but the overall motivation for Adrian is to help save lives.

"Not a single person has been killed or seriously injured in an accident since we became involved with the company, which is something I am very proud of."

Driver Awareness has grown over the years. It now has a number of advisers from similar backgrounds to Adrian, while Derek Bennett, who joined the company from Silentnight in 2000, is now managing director, and has transformed it into a major player.

2003 looks like being a year to remember for the company. "We put together a manual for students on the course which has proved extremely effective, so much so in fact we are in the process of turning the manual into a book," said Adrian.

"And we are in talks with a number of businesses about extending our service. We have even been approached by an American company which is interested in what we have to offer."