Summertime drink-drivers have helped push the number of offences in Bradford above the West Yorkshire average, new police figures reveal.

The 1999/2000 results show twice as many drivers in the district failed roadside breath-tests in August than in the weeks leading up to Christmas and New Year.

In the 12 months to March 2000 officers in Bradford's five police divisions carried out a total of 3,598 breath tests.

They found 126 drivers or 3.5 per cent were over the legal limit - well above the countywide average of 2.9 per cent.

Monthly statistics for August revealed an even bigger divide, with 5.6 per cent of drivers failing tests compared to a 3.4 per cent West Yorkshire average.

The figures will make worrying reading for safety experts, who traditionally focus campaigns on the Christmas period.

Odsal traffic Sergeant Keith Cluderay said: "The Christmas and New Year drink drive campaigns have an effect on people for a few weeks.

"But people have short memories. Six months later they go out from work for a drink in the warm weather, forget all about the safety message and drive home.

"But there doesn't seem to be any reason why the figures for Bradford should be higher than anywhere else."

Sgt Cluderay said the majority of roadside breath tests are carried out by officers attending "injury" road accidents.

"Most people are not that far over the limit," he said. "The cases which are a cause for concern are people who have been out for a drink the night before and are still over the limit the following morning."

The legal limit for drivers is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, the joint highest in Europe.

Councillor Clive Richardson, Bradford spokesman for the West Yorkshire Police Authority, said: "It doesn't surprise me that the drink drive figures go up in the summer but it is surprising that Bradford compares so badly.

"Maybe people think they can hold their alcohol, maybe they just couldn't care less. Whatever the reason the message is still not getting home."