MORE than 500 drivers were caught over the alcohol limit while behind the wheel thanks to the major anti drink-drive campaign run by Lancashire Police this summer. The six-week campaign including areas such as Lancaster, Morecambe and Heysham, caught out 545 motorists. That's encouraging according to the officers behind the campaign. The man in charge of the seasonal clampdown says the number of people prepared to flout the law seems to be on the increase.

Inspector Peter Stas said: "This year we carried out 6,086 tests and found 545 motorists were positive. Although this represents almost nine per cent of the total, it is a dramatic improvement on last year's comparable figure of more than 16 per cent."

Mr Stas explained that the number of tests administered this summer was sharply up on last year because of a change in policy.

He added: "When this campaign started on July 16 we decided to introduce our new policy of breath testing all drivers involved in accidents.

"So, although we carried out nearly three times as many tests as last year, the percentage of drink-drivers has actually fallen.

"Although I am encouraged that the message seems to be getting through to the public in general, I am still concerned about hard-core of motorists who continue to ignore our advice.

"Those people will now face the full force of law as they are dealt with by the courts."

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