CAMPAIGNERS have called for more openness surrounding the Christmas drink-drive figures after their publication yesterday.

The Campaign Against Drinking and Driving (CADD) said the figures did not give the full picture about the number of motorists who gave positive breath tests during the recent seasonal crackdown.

Under Association of Chief Police Officers' guidelines, forces are only obliged to produce figures for drivers who failed breath tests after accidents. Motorists found to be over the limit after being stopped in other checks, including roadside stops, are not included.

Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland police forces revealed there was a slight reduction in the numbers of people who gave positive breath tests after road accidents.

The figures, for December 18 to January 2, showed there were 35 drivers found over the limit after 269 accidents.

North Yorkshire Police said 26 drivers had failed or refused breath tests during the same period - up 16 on the previous year - although almost twice as many people were tested.

Both Durham and Cleveland forces released figures showing the total number of drink-drivers caught by their officers.

In County Durham, there were 81 positive breath tests from 3,020 checks during the campaign, compared with 116 positive tests from 6,223 checks last year.

In the Cleveland force area, 62 drink-drivers were arrested compared with 84 last year.

However, total figures were unavailable for North Yorkshire, and Northumbria Police declined to publish its figures.

Maria Cape, of CADD, believed the annual drink-drive campaign was having a positive effect, but said: "I think the police should be more open about their figures.

"We want to know how many people were tested, how many were positive and how many were targeted because of information from members of the public."

Chief Inspector Michael Hassen, of Northumbria Police, said there would be no let up in the crackdown against drink-drivers.

He said: "Throughout the coming months, we will continue to focus on drinking and driving, and with the support of the public and the courts, will show that behaviour of this type is not acceptable.