Police in North Yorkshire are pledging to continue targeting a 'hard core' of drink-drivers who play games with the lives of other road users.

The warning was issued as the force released drink-drive road accident figures for the Christmas and Millennium period.

Between December 18 and January 2, police officers breath-tested 226 motorists following collisions, down from 315 over the 1998-9 festive season.

There were 43 breath tests carried out in the new Central area around York and Selby; 62 in the Eastern area which takes in Ryedale, Hambleton, Scarborough and Whitby; and 121 in the Western area, which takes in the Harrogate, Skipton and Richmondshire areas.

The number of positive tests was 10 (Central 1, Eastern 4, Western 5), compared with 17 over the previous festive season.

And the number of collisions in which someone was injured was 85 (Central 13, Eastern 34, Western 38), down from 96 in 1998-9.

North Yorkshire Police spokesman Tony Lidgate said: "The figures are down a bit on previous years, which we would like to think is, to some extent, a reflection of the force-wide campaign of stop-checks that have been made.

"However, we still see no cause whatsoever for celebration because the figures clearly show that there's a hard-core minority who feel they have the right to play ducks and drakes with other people's lives.

"That isn't acceptable, either to the police or the overwhelming majority of people in North Yorkshire."

Mr Lidgate added: "We will continue to take a hard line with drink-driving 24 hours a day, 365 days a year."

The release of the figures for drink-related road accidents follows the publication of details of the North Yorkshire force's Christmas and New Year drink-drive blitz.

Police revealed that 58 drivers were arrested over the festive period for being over the drink-drive limit.

A further three drivers were arrested for failing to provide specimens for analysis, and another was arrested for being drunk in charge of a vehicle.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.