POLICE have praised motorists for heeding warnings not to drink and drive during the festive season.

Figures released by the force show a significant drop in the number of people caught driving while over the limit, compared to last year.

And police are claiming the reduction is down to drivers taking in their hard-hitting message not to drink before getting behind the wheel.

The month-long campaign saw the arrest of 135 people across the county for either providing a positive breath test or refusing to give one.

This year 3,158 roadside tests were carried out by officers, with 4.7 per cent resulting in an arrest.

Last year there were 237 positive tests or refusals out of 3,882 checks, a percentage of 6.1.

Motorists were stopped at a number of random checkpoints at accident blackspots in the county and drivers were encouraged to blow the whistle on drink drivers through the Drink Link telephone hotline.

The number of collisions involving alcohol also fell this year, with no fatal accidents, six serious injuries and 15 slight injuries. Last year there was one fatality, 14 serious injuries and 22 minor injuries.

Chief Inspector Ian Bell, the Road Policing co-ordinator, said: "The results clearly indicate that the road users in the county acted in a most responsive manner to both the national and local drink drive campaign.

"We particularly appreciate the help given by coach and taxi operators in publicising the message.

"The high profile checkpoints, together with the Crimestoppers Drink Link facility, clearly helped in making this one of the safest festive periods on Lancashire's roads.

"We do recognise that the adverse weather conditions made travelling very difficult and, in some cases, dangerous, for many people and therefore applaud the motoring public for taking sensible precautions."