A CABBIE clampdown showed almost half the cars tested in Blackburn and Darwen were unfit for the road.

Drivers and operators of defective cabs were facing prosecution after police and Blackburn Council joined forces for a swoop on taxis and private hire vehicles.

Of the 40 cars stopped at random, 19 failed an immediate test. Ten were reinstated later when the faults had been corrected but nine remained suspended.

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