ROAD safety experts called in a familiar and reassuring figure yesterday to help them push home the Belt Up message.

The safety team in North Yorkshire had become alarmed by a survey of seat-belt use which revealed wide discrepancies across the county.

In an effort to persuade parents and children always to buckle up, they called on Father Christmas to give his backing.

During the survey, checks were made on almost 1,600 cars, at 16 locations outside schools and at junctions across the county.

In Stokesley, the survey found that 25 per cent of drivers and passengers on the school run were not using seatbelts, while in Easingwold just six per cent of drivers and 15 per cent of passengers were unrestrained.

Away from schools, Leyburn, Ripon and Selby fared best, with virtually all adults restrained - but in Harrogate 42 per cent of adults had not belted up.

It was on the coast, in Filey, where the survey produced the worst results, with 23 per cent of adults and 56 per cent of children not being belted in.

Road safety officer David Lindsay said: "These results make interesting, if depressing, reading.

"Far too many people are disobeying the law and, more importantly, putting themselves and their passengers at a totally unnecessary risk of major injury, or death.

"We will be repeating the survey and publishing details at regular intervals, to measure how publicity and education campaigns may be influencing behaviour - and we will be sharing the results with the police."