CHILDREN as young as 13 have been caught getting behind the wheel of a car in Lancashire after drinking alcohol.

Thirty-two youngsters under the age of 16 were arrested by police for drink-driving in the last three years, while 94 were under 18, records released under the Freedom of Information Act showed.

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New laws will be put into place to tackle the problem, the Department for Transport promised. Labour MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden Graham Jones said he blamed the ‘white underclass’ for the problem.

He said: “The Government is not doing enough for young males who are at risk of getting involved in community action, and who are failing in their education, particularly with troubled families.

“There’s a real problem with a white underclass and an awful lot more needs to be done to focus in on this particular group of young people. It’s unacceptable that juveniles without a licence or insurance are allowed to drive what can be a death trap — a motor vehicle.

It’s symptomatic of a fundamental problem within this group of people.”

Charity Brake also called for urgent action to tackle the problem, and has previously said a graduated driver licensing system, something the Lancashire Telegraph’s Wasted Lives campaign has been calling for for years, must be introduced.

The Lancashire Telegraph’s Wasted Lives campaign was launched in 2007, calling for legal and educational reform to the young driver training programme to reduce the number of accidents caused by those under the age of 25.

A Brake spokesman said: “These are appalling figures for Lancashire. To see people under the age of 16, including a 13-year-old, driving illegally, whilst drunk, is shocking.

“Drink driving is an incredibly dangerous activity no matter who you are, whether you are under 16 or over 61.

“Drinking any amount of alcohol before driving dramatically increases your risk of crashing and killing or seriously injuring yourself or others.”

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: “The law is clear that there is a limit and that it is illegal to drive underage, without a licence, and without insurance.”