A HOSPITAL consultant has talked of the heartbreak of treating drink-drive crash victims.

Hartlepool accident and emergency consultant Andrew Simpson said: "It's not only adult drivers but innocent children who die as a result of collisions. Having to deal with the consequences of drink-driving can be very traumatic, especially when they could have been so easily prevented.''

Mr Simpson, who is based at Hartlepool General Hospital, is backing Cleveland Police's seasonal crackdown.

Officers are carrying out random roadside safety stops in the next two months, and will be targeting persistent drink-drivers, identified as "potential killers".

Officers will compile details of drivers to be targeted, including where they live, their vehicles and where they drink