PEOPLE are today being encouraged to call time on drink-drivers this festive season – by texting details of suspects to a special hotline.Police will then follow up the information by keeping tabs on those motorists identified by friends, family and work colleagues as being likely to consume alcohol and then get behind the wheel.

PEOPLE are today being encouraged to call time on drink-drivers this festive season - by texting details of suspects to a special hotline.

Police will then follow up the information by keeping tabs on those motorists identified by friends, family and work colleagues as being likely to consume alcohol and then get behind the wheel.

The new initiative is part of a huge crackdown on drinking-driving this Christmas and which includes the Evening Star's Don't Drink and Drive - Name and Shame campaign.

Throughout this month and January, the Star pledges to write about as many drink-drivers as possible as they appear before magistrates in Ipswich.

Police and firefighters were today getting together at Felixstowe to make the public understand the dangers of drinking and driving.

All this week there will be a static display in Solar car park off High Road West showing the aftermath of a road crash caused by alcohol.

Police, meanwhile, are also highlighting the impact of alcohol on violent crime in conjunction with Nightsafe.

Insp Graham Burch, of Suffolk's roads policing unit, said: "We consider that those people who drink then drive and consequently kill or seriously injure innocent members of the public are committing one of the most violent of all crimes.

"There can be no excuse for drink driving. National campaigns have repeatedly highlighted the fact that there is no safe amount of alcohol that can be consumed before a person takes control of a vehicle.

"Everyone metabolises alcohol at a different rate. The safest rule to follow is - if you have a drink, don't drive."

The devastation caused by drink drivers was one of the worst events police, fire, ambulance and paramedic officers had to deal with - not just the chaos of a crash and the ensuing investigation, but the heartbreaking task of telling family members a loved one has been killed or injured.

Insp Burch said the most important step a person could take was to prevent a person who has been drinking from getting behind the wheel.

But if someone has consumed excessive alcohol and gets in to a car, people should call 999.

However, if it is suspected a person is drinking and driving on a regular basis but an offence is not about to be committed, then a message giving the person's name, make and registration of their car, can be phoned in on 01473 613500 or sent as a text message to the new hotline 07624 888999.

Calls can also be made anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.