ANDOVER police have broadly welcomed a scheme to offer £500 to anyone who shops a drink-driver - although they have appealed to people to use it responsibly.

During the Christmas break people will be able to ring the free Crimestoppers number if they spot someone drinking and driving - and the award will be payable after conviction.

The scheme has gone national this year after it was piloted successfully in Thames Valley last Christmas, when only four per cent of informants claimed the reward.

In Andover Sgt Kevin McCarthy said: "Anything that stops people drinking and driving, preventing accidents and injuries, is to be welcomed as long as it is used in the right way.

"We would ask people to use it responsibly. At this busy time we don't want to use up valuable police resources on hoax calls.

"However, if it is used responsibly then we welcome this initiative."

The reward system will be funded by the charity Crimestoppers, which decided to go nationwide after massive advertising and appeals by police and community leaders failed to stop an eight per cent increase in drink-driving last year - resulting in a death toll from drunken driving of 600.

In the Thames Valley pilot the 0800 555 111 Crimestoppers number was inundated with calls. Senior police officers said people seemed to be particularly keen to stop persistent and arrogant drink-drivers.

Crimestoppers says the low take-up of the reward tapped into a sense of 'social and moral responsibility'.