A GREAT deal has changed over 25 years since the launch of the first drink-drive campaign but Swin-don police are keen to point out that the message is still the same.

Yesterday, Swindon Council's road safety officer Margaret Tester joined traffic officers PC Ian McLellan and PC Roger Blythin to celebrate the success of the campaign that has saved an estimated 20,000 lives since its launch in 1976.

And to illustrate the success of the long-running scheme, they posed with a veteran Austin A60 Cambridge police car from the late 60s and one of the latest additions to their force, a diesel Mercedes.

PC McLellan said: "Although we normally carry out routine breath tests, at this time of the year we really do focus on catching drunk drivers.

"A lot of people don't realise the strength of what they are drinking. Alcohol affects people in different ways and to a different extent. It is very difficult to know how much you can drink before you go over the limit.

"The safest course of action is to not drink at all and to have a designated driver if you are going out for the evening."

His colleague PC Blythin added: "People should bear in mind the consequences of their actions.

"If you are involved in a fatal accident and you know you have been over the limit, you will have to live with the fact that you are responsible for that person's death.

"If you had not been drinking, your reactions times would have been faster and you might not have been travelling so fast. Obviously I have had to deal with many people in that position and the effects can be devastating."

Swindon road safety officer Margaret Tester explained that this year's drink-driving cam-paign was targeting businesses in the town as well as schools.

"We are encouraging com-panies in the town to ensure that there are non alcoholic drinks available at Christmas parties and that transport arrangements should be made before the event.

"We are also talking to children in schools in the area about the dangers of drink driving or travelling in a car when someone has had too much to drink.

"Part of the problem is, I feel, that youngsters tend to drink alco-pops without knowing how strong they are.

"It is also important that they realise that cycling while drunk is dangerous and can also land you a large fine."

The work of people like Margaret Tester continues the campaign that was launched in 1976.

In that year, more than 1,600 people were killed in drink-related road accidents.

But thanks to the campaigns that figure has been dramatically cut to just 520 drink-drive fatalities last year.

This year's £1m campaign features new radio adverts.

It will complement a series of television adverts which depict graphic images of real-life drink-drive accidents which have then been set to familiar Christmas songs.