THE number of people arrested for drink- driving in Wiltshire over the Christmas period has shot up by 54 per cent.

Despite official police campaign figures showing less people are testing positive after road smashes, the number caught by random breath tests has risen sharply.

Road safety officers fear the figures mean drivers are still willing to ignore advice and take risks.

From December 18 to December 30, officers arrested 54 people countywide on suspicion of drink-driving, compared to 35 during the same period last year.

This includes people stopped for random tests and those tested after accidents.

In official campaign figures 235 people have been breath tested after road crashes since December 18, compared to 228 last year.

Out of the 235 tested, six were above the legal drink drive limit compared to 13 in 2002.

Figures also show injury road crashes are up to 68 from 65 last year.

The campaign will finish today with the final campaign figures due to be released later this month.

Sgt Dave Melvin said officers were showing no complacency when it came to catching drink-drivers.

He said: "The strong message is that if you are intent on taking the risk you stand a very good chance of being stopped, breathalysed and arrested.

"We are stopping more people who are positive and they are being arrested and will have to face the consequences."

Nationwide, up to 3,500 people a year are killed or seriously injured on the roads.

In north and west Wiltshire alone, one in 10 people arrested from April to October were drink-drivers.

Traffic inspector Cavan Moroney promised last month all 300 officers on duty this Christmas and New Year would be focusing on catching drink- drivers.