A ROAD safety group has criticised a move to offer larger sized spirits in a Blackburn bar as "confusing" and "potentially dangerous".

The statement from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents came after they learned of the 40 per cent increase in the size of measures by T-Bar in Lord Square.

They said: "If they are serving bigger measures there is a bigger risk. Drivers are more likely to be caught unawares."

The increase is part of a push by a Guinness UDV, now called Diageo, to encourage pubs to serve 35ml measures instead of 25ml, for only a 20 per cent rise in price.

The new measure increases the amount of alcohol consumed from one unit to 1.4.

Sgt Stuart Isherwood, of the police's road safety unit at Accrington, said responsibility lay with drivers: "It doesn't matter about the size of the spirit you are drinking - the only safe way is not to drink and drive at all."

A spokesperson for Diageo said: "The campaign is backed up by point-of-sale merchandise such as leaflets which explain the larger size and what this size is equal to in terms of wine and beer measures."