DRIVERS in the Blackburn borough could soon find themselves being stopped by police - for a drugs test.

For the Lancashire force is one of just four in the country to trial the new drug screening tests.

Officers will be investigating the practicality of two types of devices in volunteer road side tests.

Police say there will be no prosecutions in the trial period as they are assessing the accuracy and reliability of a wipe device, which uses sweat samples taken from the forehead, and another which uses saliva.

Forces in Cleveland, Strathclyde and Sussex will join Lancashire in the trials, to be conducted over a three-week period next month.

Assistant chief constable John Vine, Lancashire's head of operations, said: "The trials are completely voluntary and anonymous and are not intended as an assessment of the number of positive and negative tests.

"There will be no prosecutions during this trial period and the volunteers taking part will be asked to complete a questionnaire about their test.

"For some time we along with our colleagues in other forces have been concerned about the increasing number of drivers using their vehicle while under the influence of drugs.

"That is why we welcome these trials which should help us develop an effective, reliable and easy-to-use road side drug screening device."

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