AN alcohol awareness organisation is calling for a mandatory anti-drink driving course to be taken as part of the driving test.

The move comes after an increase in the number of convicted drink drivers in Burnley being sent by the courts to alcohol awareness classes.

In Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale a total of 307 offenders were last year referred by the courts to attend a course that teaches about alcohol awareness.

In 2000, a total of 262 offenders in Burnley were referred on to the course out of a total of 288 sentenced.

A total of 697 offenders caught driving over the limit attended training courses countrywide last year aimed at re-educating them in the use of alcohol compared with just 303 in 2000.

Through the TTC, Telford Training Consultants the rehabilitation courses were set up through the UK by Government two years ago to widen people's knowledge about drink driving.

TCC co-ordinator for the North West Mel Hughes said: "The sad thing is that it is the wrong way around. People are getting information about alcohol after they have been banned.

"Everyone who attends the course says they wished they had the information before offending.

"We know that if our information was given out to learner drivers the numbers of people coming through the course for drink driving would fall." Employed offenders pay £150, while those on benefit pay £110 to attend the course and get the length of their disqualification reduced by a quarter on completion.

The TCC's annual report says drink drivers are three times less likely to re-offend after attending.

The course teaches about alcohol strengths, the effect of mixing drink and drugs, health implications, the law, courts and sentencing, responsible driving and about the effect of drink driving on victims.