TRAFFIC built up in Astley Bridge due to a police checkpoint set up as part of its Christmas anti-drink drive campaign called None For The Road.

Officers pulled cars, taxis, vans and other commercial vehicles over in Waters Meeting Road at the junction with Blackburn Road from 6.30am.

Queues formed on southbound Blackburn Road because a police patrol car was parked in the inside lane and a police officer spotter stood waving cars through or directing them into the stop zone.

Motorists were delayed in the traffic jam for more than 30 minutes and people took to social media to warn others and complain about the gridlock that was backing up into Darwen Road in Bromley Cross.

Having seen all the police in the area, many thought there had been a crash of some sort.

The Blackburn Bus Company tweeted: "1 route delays due to road traffic accident at Astley Bridge, Bolton.

"Please bear with us, we are doing all we can."

‎Bec Newton‎ wrote on Facebook: "Avoid Blackburn Road, there's been a crash .. traffic's bad."

Julie Cunningham said on the same platform: "We set off at 8.40am and turned back at the war memorial as traffic at a stand still.

"Not sure what has gone wrong as it is particularly bad for a Friday."

The festive anti-drink campaign was launched by police yesterday.

Inspector Paul Rowe, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, oversaw the activity.

He said: "This is one of our early morning checks in relation to drink-driving and drugs.

"We had a breath test reading of 24mcg this morning which is below the legal limit of 35mcg.

"It was a shock to the driver. He had been out last night and was amazed as he was expecting a zero.

"He said: 'I am OK and have had a sleep.'

"We advised him to go and get a coffee."

Traffic officers, supplemented by four Special Constables, were pulling over drivers seen on their mobile phone, or those with defects on their vehicle, including broken lights, or anyone suspected of drink-driving.

Inspector Rowe said: "I didn’t appreciate the car in the road and reducing traffic to one lane would have such an effect and once we found out there was tailback we moved the vehicle out of the road.

"I can only apologise if people were inconvenienced but at the same time we still have got to go about showing that we’re doing roadside tests. It’s part of a road safety issue."