POLICE want pubs in Knutsford to regularly show a hard-hitting TV advert to encourage people not to drink and drive.

The clip shows a young woman being flung violently across a pub and dying as she hits the bar - copying what could happen in a crash.

Pc Dave Murray, of the borough's road policing unit, said the campaign could stop Knutsford drivers ruining lives.

"Some people might say that the television advert in the pub is a shock tactic, but we don't have to apologise for that while people are behaving selfishly and irresponsibly," he said.

Ten pubs in the borough are already screening the advert, which is part of a Department of Transport campaign.

They will play the clip between music videos and sports programmes on projector screens and televisions. Last month four drivers were arrested near Knutsford for drink driving after they failed on-the-spot breath tests.

Police randomly stopped about 60 people in the area during the first month of a campaign in the run-up to Christmas.

Across the borough 42 people were arrested for failing breath tests after more than 730 tests.

Yesterday (Tuesday) Pc Murray said the failure rate was unacceptable after years of campaigns to stop drivers risking lives. "It's still running at about 7% to 8% which is disappointing," he said.

"These people should know if they do drink and drive that we're out there looking for them."

Pc Murray has also printed leaflets that list telephone numbers for taxis in Knutsford.

Officers will hand them out in pubs with anti-drink driving information that will also be left in libraries and leisure centres.

amac@guardiangrp.co.uk