MORE than 200 people were caught drink driving in Lancashire during the Christmas period.

A total of 17,400 tests were administered throughout the month of December, with 202 people failing the test and 19 people refusing to provide a specimen.

During the police’s Christmas drink drive campaign, 18,964 tests were administered with 281 people failing the test or refusing to provide a specimen.

Chief Insp Debbie Howard said: “It is pleasing to see the number of people drink driving on Lancashire’s roads has reduced.

“I hope that the message is getting through to people that drink driving is extremely dangerous and the consequences are high.

“A total of 221 people caught drink driving is still too many though.

“We are not complacent and will continue to carry out regular enforcement to take action against those who continue to break the law.”

Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw said: “People who choose to drink and drive are not only putting their own lives in serious danger, they are risking the lives of everyone around them.

"The evidence is clear that you're many times more likely to cause a crash if you're over the limit than a driver who hasn't been drinking.”