HEAVY goods vehicles on Lancashire's roads were today targeted in a police crackdown aimed at putting the brakes on dangerous and defective lorries.

Officers began stopping vehicles at 7am as part of a national swoop, codenamed Operation Mermaid.

At one site, on the A59 at Samlesbury, 24 of the 36 lorries stopped by 11.30am had a defect and several were banned from continuing their journey until repairs had been carried out.

The clampdown is the seventh throughout the country in the last two years.

The spot checks, which were due to continue until 3pm, were also carried out on vehicles on the M58 at Skelmersdale and Bolton West services on the M61. Previous operations in Lancashire have resulted in vehicles being taken off the roads and have revealed some alarming defects.

Inspector Peter Stas of Lancashire Police said today's operation was aimed at improving safety standards as well as detecting motoring and other offences.

He added: "HGV owners and drivers must ensure their vehicles are safe to be on the roads. We will be looking for defects and any vehicles found to be in a dangerous condition will be immediately ordered off the road.

"The police and other relevant agencies will continue to mount these operations to drive home the message that vehicles must be in a fit condition to be on the roads.

"Unroadworthy vehicles are a danger to everyone - including their drivers."

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