A BOY aged just 10 was among seven under-16s convicted of drink driving in Leigh last year.

The shock statistic was read out in the annual police report to the Licensing Bench.

The number of young offenders under 16 has risen from just one the year before. But in another age group, there was a drop in the number of drink drivers convicted.

There was a decrease of 21 in convictions of drivers between the ages of 30 and 59. However, there was a increase of eight between the ages of 21 and 29.

Overall, there was a decrease of just two convictions from 150 in 1998 to 148 last year.

There was also a decrease of two convictions among women drivers from 18 to 16. The figures were presented to the court by Chief Supt Peter Owen.

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