A police chief has pledged a crackdown on drink-drivers.

Inspector Eric Robinson, head of Cleveland Police's road policing unit, has warned there is a hardcore of drivers who continue to flout the law by driving over the limit.

He said: "I want these persistent drink-drivers, who are spread across the force area, to realise that eventually they will get caught and they will be punished.

"I just hope we catch them before they kill or seriously injure someone.''

His pledge comes after police caught more people drink-driving on Teesside over the festive season than in previous years.

From December 10 to January 2, 592 drivers were breath tested, 43 more than last year.

Of those, 53 tested positive, compared to 49, the previous year.

Throughout the whole of December until January 2, 844 people were tested with 78 positive results recorded.

The comparable figures for the same period, the year before were 759 and 64.

Insp Robinson said: "The figures are totally unacceptable. It shows the amount of work that needs to be done to change the culture of a minority of drivers in the Cleveland Police area.

"We even had people arrested on Christmas Day.

"The vast majority of drivers are very supportive.

"Most people realise that drink-driving is unacceptable and dangerous.

"But there is still a hardcore of drivers out there who think the rules do not apply to them and they can take to the roads and ignore the law.''

The police chief said catching drink-drivers was not a seasonal operation and that police will continue to breathalyse all drivers involved in crashes, all drivers who commit traffic offences and all drivers suspected of having consumed alcohol.

He said: "One of our key objectives is to reduce road casualties.

"The robust policy we have to breath test drivers will continue throughout the coming year."

"I have a simple message for drivers in our area - if you are driving a motor vehicle, don't drink alcohol. If you are drinking, don't even attempt to drive."