POLICE in Lancashire are encouraging people to blow the whistle on drink drivers as part of their annual festive blitz.

A special confidential Crimestoppers Drink Link hotline has been set up as part of the Christmas crackdown which was launched on Tuesday.

The message from police is simple - "if you know someone who drinks and drives tell us."

The campaign aims to help prevent crashes and further deaths on the road by targeting drink drivers.

Inspector Chris Gradwell said: "Although there has been a significant reduction in the number of people killed in drink drive related crashes over the last 15 years, there still remains a hard core of drivers who persist with this irresponsible behaviour and drink driving remains a serious life-threatening issue."

He added: "I would urge members of the public to report known offenders through Drink Link in the knowledge that their call will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

"Callers may feel more comfortable with Crimestoppers, perhaps giving details about people who are close to them. The more detailed the information the better, such as type of vehicle and registration number along with usual times and locations."

The number of the Crimestoppers Drink Link line is 0800 555 111.

STARS of Government drink-drive campaigns from the past 25 years will feature in this year's annual Christmas television campaign.

To mark 25 years of campaigns a video of past drink drive campaigns has been compiled featuring contributions from Denise Van Outen, Linda Robson, and Eastenders favourites Gillian Taylforth and John 'Nick Cotton' Altman.

THIS year's £1 million Government campaign features graphic images of real-life driving accidents set to familiar Christmas songs. In 1976 more than 1,600 people were killed in drink-related accidents. Provisional figures indicate that there were 520 drink drive fatalities last year, up from 460 in 1990.