SCENES of carnage and devastating loss have been described by an officer who has attended dozens of crash scenes.

Sergeant David Horsfield, an accident investigator for the past eight years, said he had seen lives 'utterly destroyed' by horrific accidents.

As part of this month’s drink drive campaign, Sgt Horsfield revealed the devastation left behind due to road traffic collisions caused by people under the influence.

He said: "A few years ago I attended an incident where the driver was just a normal guy with a wife and family and he had finished work and gone to the pub for a few drinks and then got behind the wheel.

"He crashed into a car which had a family in it and one of them suffered horrific injuries.

"It was tragic for everyone involved because the family had to live with these injuries and the driver was sent to prison, lost his job and his wife."

Sgt Horsfield urged drivers to think twice before getting behind the wheel whilst over the drink drive limit.

And as a poignant reminder of the dangers he spoke of Ribble Valley teenager, Matthew Alston, who died in August last year, after crashing his car while twice over the drink drive limit.

"Matthew had been partying the night before and got in the car in the early hours of the morning and crashed. The scene of the accident was horrendous.

"It is extremely sad because Matthew had his whole life ahead of him and it has been needlessly lost.

"His family now have to live with this big hole in their lives and deal with the consequences of his tragic death." he said.

As part of the crackdown there will be checkpoints at key locations where officers will administer drink and drugs tests.

In 2010’s summer drink drive crackdown, 9,000 people were tested throughout June.

220 people failed the test or refused to provide a sample – representing a 2.4 per cent failure or refusal rate.

Sgt Horsfield said the worst case he had seen was a driver who was four times over the drink drive limit.

"It is really sad that people get into their cars which weigh a ton and can reach extremely high speeds whilst their judgement is impaired.

"I just want them to know that they will get caught and that one day they will end up killing someone."