POLICE in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale have given their full backing to a hard-hitting advertising campaign encouraging people to report drink-drivers.

The campaign, to be launched this week will also highlight the consequences of drinking and driving.

"Not all drivers are asked to blow into a bag -- some get taken away in one" is the stark warning being used in advertisements which will be displayed throughout Pennine Division.

These will be backed up by local cinema and radio advertisements which will raise awareness of drink-driving and encourage people to call the police with details of offenders.

The idea behind the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety campaign is to drive home the message that drink-driving costs lives. The group said that, on average, 3,500 people are killed or seriously injured each year in drink-drive accidents.

Figures released by police locally also reveal that:

More than 2,000 people in Lancashire were caught drink-driving last year and lost their licences.

Nearly 1 in 7 of all deaths on the road involve drivers who are over the legal limit.

On average 3,500 people are killed or seriously injured each year in drink drive accidents.

At twice the legal limit you are at least 50 times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident.

The biggest offenders for drink-driving in Lancashire are 17-25 year olds.

In 1997, 61 per cent of all alcohol-related accidents occurred between midnight Thursday and midnight on Sunday nights.

Sergeant Eric Marshall, from Pennine Division's road policing unit, said: "We are fully supportive of the county-wide campaign and will be stepping up activity across Pennine Division to prevent and detect drink-drive offences over the coming weeks as part of our involvement in the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety.

"Stop checks will be held in a number of locations and an increased number of breath tests will be taken in a bid to make our roads safer and drive down casualty figures across Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale."

As for those caught breaking the law, Sergeant Marshall said: "Offenders face fines of up to £5,000 as well as increased motor insurance premiums and for those whose work is reliant on holding a driving licence; job uncertainty is a real risk too.

"Of course that's assuming they are fortunate enough not to kill someone or to kill themselves in which case, the stakes are clearly far higher."