RANDOM breath tests are to be introduced as part of a regional police blitz on drink driving this week.

Officers warned last night that they intended to stop thousands of drivers as part of a 48-hour crackdown.

The initiative begins at 6am today and finishes at 6am on Sunday.

Senior officers are planning high-profile patrols mounted by Cleveland, Durham, Northumbria and North Yorkshire as part of a European-wide initiative.

The move comes just a month after figures revealed that hundreds of motorists ignored drink drive advice over the Christmas period.

Inspector Mick Bennet, of Cleveland Police, said the blitz was aimed at highlighting the fact that drink and drug driving was a problem all over Europe, all year round.

He said: "We will put extra crews out and they'll cruise round the force area and set up roadside checks and pull people in. We breath test people who have been involved in crashes, those who have committed moving road traffic offences and anyone who we suspect has been drinking."

Sergeant Colin Mortimer, of Durham Police, added: "The campaign is in line with our own road policing strategy, which focuses on reducing the number of casualties.

"Drinking and driving still causes untold misery for those affected. You could lose your licence, your freedom or be responsible for the death of an innocent person, all for the sake of a drink."

A similar blitz carried out by Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria forces over Christmas saw 14 motorists a day caught over the limit.

Of 6,815 drivers breath-tested by police in Cleveland, Durham and Northumberland, between November 28 and January 2, 506 were over the limit. They now face bans and heavy fines.

Figures released by North Yorkshire Police showed that the number of drivers involved in crashes who were over the limit fell compared with last Christmas. Of 352 drivers breath-tested after collisions between December 18 and January 2, 11 were either over the limit, refused to be tested or gave an inadequate sample.

During the same period last Christmas, 453 drivers were tested after collisions and 26 were over the limit, refused to be tested or gave an inadequate sample.