DRINK-DRIVE campaigners in the North-East have condemned moves to grant New Year revellers the chance of a 36-hour pub marathon.

Yesterday, Government minister Kim Howells announced special licensing arrangements which mean pubs can stay open for 36 hours without a break.

Drinkers will be able to begin a drinking session at 11am on New Year's Eve and continue right through until 11pm the next day.

The move has been feted as good news for publicans and customers alike.

Mr Howells said: "Longer opening hours will give consumers more freedom to choose how and when to celebrate New Year's Eve, and give the industry the chance to give their customers what they want."

Harry Cape, of Newcastle, former head of the Campaign Against Drink-Driving, whose 16-year-old daughter was kill-ed by a drink-driver in 1982, said the move was a "bad" idea.

"We want people to have a good time and enjoy themselves when they go out drinking, but we want them to get home safely as well," he said.

"The thing to watch out for is when they finally stop drinking, go to bed and get up the next day, maybe for work, and get in their cars and drive.

"One of the things we are campaigning for is random breath-testing, not necessarily to catch people out, but to act as a deterrent."

If the scheme is successful, pubs could be given the same freedom every New Year.

Police, local authorities and local residents will be able to stop pubs opening all hours if they can convince a magistrate there could be disorder or disturbance.