POLICE have been criticised following a big drop in the number of breath tests carried out to catch drink-drivers.

The annual tally of tests by Cleveland Police fell from 34,200 to 11,000 in four years.

The 68pc reduction was the largest of any force in England and Wales, and more than twice the national fall of 30pc over the same period.

The figures were revealed days after the Cleveland force pledged a crackdown on drink-driving, following an increase in positive tests over the Christmas period compared to the previous year.

But according to Home Office figures, Cleveland has steadily cut the number of tests over the four years to 2002, the last year for which statistics are available.

North Yorkshire (down 26pc) and Northumbria (down 3pc) also carried out fewer tests than in 1998, but Durham (up 28pc) had stepped up its programme.

A Cleveland police spokeswoman said the force no longer adopted a "blanket approach" to testing in order to target the hard core who continued to drink and drive.

She said: "We target specific areas where we know there is the likelihood that drivers will flout the drink-driving laws, and in that we have been successful.

"It should be noted that, while the overall number of tests has fallen, the percentage of positive tests has increased."

But John Thurso, the Liberal Democrat transport spokes-man, insisted that evidence showed carrying out more tests produced more positive results.

He said the number of tests had plummeted at the same time as a 16pc rise nationwide in the number of accidents involving drunk drivers.

Mr Thurso added: "These statistics are very worrying. Breath tests are a vital component of preventing drink-driving

"Taking into consideration that accidents involving illegal levels of alcohol have increased since 1997, it is quite surprising that the number of breath tests is on the decline.

"Breath testing is fundamental if we are to mitigate against the danger posed by those who choose to drink and drive."