TAX disc dodgers were today warned they faced having their cars scrapped if they fail to pay up after police launched a major crackdown.

Officers are working closely with the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency to target persistent offenders.

Operation Excise, was launched in Blackburn last week and more than 100 cars have already been clamped.

Police have been checking records and any cars kept on the road without a tax disc are clamped.

Owners have to pay a £68 fee to have the clamp removed and provide documents proving ownership along with a insurance certificates, evidence of back tax payment and a current MOT certificate.

If the owner fails to take any action within 24 hours the car is towed away to a police compound. The owner then has to pay a fee of £135 to get their car back plus a charge for every day the vehicle is kept in storage.

Police have also warned that cars will be scrapped after five weeks if no action is taken by the owners.

Superintendent Stuart Kirby, chief of operations at Blackburn police station, said: "Our operation follows concerns raised by members of the public about the number of untaxed vehicles on the road. "Quite rightly, those who have complained are angry at the way some drivers seem to flout the law. This is one of the main reasons we decided to tackle the problem."

"Working in partnership with the DVLA we aim to reduce the number of vehicles being driven illegally.

"And we are also warning everybody that there will be no let up in our determination to clamp down on these law breakers."

The operation has proved such a success in Blackburn there are now plans to extend it to the rest of East Lancashire.

Police mounted a similar operation in Burnley in September which was hailed a huge success.

More than 200 cars were clamped and one driver was so incensed by the move he took a sledgehammer to his own vehicle.

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