THE region's league football clubs have all backed a campaign to show drink driving the red card.

Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Newcastle and Hartlepool football clubs have all vowed to support a campaign by Road Safety GB North East to raise awareness of the problem during Euro 2016.

Statistics by the charity show that 42 people were killed on the region's roads due to a suspected drink driver between 2011 and 2015 and there's evidence the problem may be getting worse.

In the same period, 263 were seriously injured and a further 1,424 were slightly injured on the region's roads, excluding North Yorkshire. Worryingly, in 2015 there were 70 people were killed or seriously injured which was the the highest number for five years.

Across the UK, Department for Transport statistics show that the number of drink-drive deaths has fallen by 77 per cent since 1985.

However, since 2010 the number of fatalities has stopped falling and last year the number of drivers in the 25 to 29 age bracket who reported driving over the limit reached 9.3 per cent. Young men were more likely to drink drive than women.

County Durham has the worst record for drink driving accidents in the region with 20 drink-drive fatalities and 70 serious injuries between 2010 and 2015.

Darlington had three fatalities and eight serious injuries; Gateshead, two fatalities and 18 serious injuries; Hartlepool no fatalities and 18 serious injuries; Middlesbrough no deaths and ten serious injuries, Newcastle three deaths and 27 serious injuries; North Tyneside two deaths and 15 serious injuries; Northumberland two deaths 45 injuries; Redcar and Cleveland four deaths and 16 injuries; South Tyneside two death and 11 injuries; Stockton one death and eight injuries and Sunderland had three fatalities and 24 serious injuries.

Road Safety GB North East, which is made up of road safety police officers from across the region, said the campaign was being launched to coincide with the football tournament because alcohol consumption was expected to rise sharply.

Middlesbrough FC captain Grant Leadbitter said: “If you have a drink please don’t get behind the wheel of a car."

Craig Hignett, Manager of Hartlepool United, said: “Don’t ruin your life or possibly someone else’s by making a stupid mistake.”

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce said: “Let’s enjoy the tournament and be safe.”

A Newcastle United spokesman said: “We would urge people not to drink and drive."

Figures show that June is one of the worst months of the year for recording serious and fatal drink drive accidents, and that almost half of accidents involving alcohol occur on Saturdays and Sundays.

* See The Northern Echo on Wednesday for a guide to Euro 2016 with match wallchart.