POLICE and council chiefs have joined forces to criticise the Lancashire Evening Telegraph over its coverage of drink-driving campaigns.

Chief Constable Pauline Clare expressed concern at the way the LET reported on this summer's drink-drive clampdown. And Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Malcolm Doherty has also hit out at the coverage.

The police this year ran a summer drink drive campaign which saw thousands of motorists breath tested.

The B-test blitz was launched as a major report by Manchester University into the attitudes of drivers revealed the vast majority were happy with policing measures in East Lancashire and most people did not object to spot tests.

Police chiefs say falls in drink-drive arrests and the results of the survey were proof that successive campaigns were getting the message across.

The Chief Constable said: "There has been negative publicity in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph about our drinking and driving activities. However the independent research shows there is overwhelming support for our activities. "The recent campaigns have had a positive effect on public opinion and helped to shape people's views towards road safety and drink driving."

Coun Doherty added: "Drink driving is a serious and very dangerous offence which puts people's lives at risk.

"Lancashire police authority has a rational, balanced programme which means resources are shared out. One sort of crime does not lose out at the expense of any other.

"Perhaps if the Lancashire Evening Telegraph had reported the facts about the research then they would not have had such a good story."

Lancashire Evening Telegraph editor Mr Peter Butterfield said the newspaper criticised the decision to mount a summer drink-drive campaign before the results of the survey were made public.

But when the findings were published a leader column in the LET fully backed the police and the survey results.

"It is inaccurate for Coun Doherty to say that we did not report the facts of the research. We did so as soon as they became available and our comment column accepted the results of the survey although they surprised us," Mr Butterfield said.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.