IN the run-up to Christmas, motorists are being warned not to drink-drive and to be aware of the “morning after” effect.

Just one unit of alcohol can take more than an hour to pass through the body, according to advice issued by Hartlepool Borough Council.

Paul Watson, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Road Safety Officer and the regional Chair of Road Safety GB North-East, said: “Imagine you’re drinking until three or four in the morning and you wake up at 8am.

"If you’ve had six or seven units of alcohol, you could still have several in your body when you start your day. This is because your body can only process around one unit per hour. With several units of alcohol still in your body you would still be over the drink-drive limit.

“We want to help normally responsible people avoid risking a drink-drive conviction or, worse still, becoming involved in a serious accident.”

The advice from council officials has been issued to complement Cleveland Police’s annual Christmas drink-drive enforcement campaign.