FOUR 13-year-olds have been caught drink-driving in Avon and Somerset.

Police have released records in response to a Freedom of Information request that show 130 people aged under 18, including 31 aged under 16, were caught driving under the influence of alcohol between 2008-13.

The figures, obtained by in-car camera provider Nextbase, found the youngest offender in Avon and Somerset was 13.

It also found that 13-year-olds were caught behind the wheel and under the influence of alcohol in 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: “Drink and drugs driving is one of the so-called ‘fatal four’ offences – together with speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and using a mobile phone while driving – all considered major causes of collisions.

“We take drink and drug driving seriously and will test drivers throughout the year, especially if involved in road traffic collisions.

“Additionally, we run two high profile campaigns during the summer and winter but our work to target drink and drug drivers and help make roads in Avon and Somerset safer goes on all year round.

“As part of these campaigns we encourage members of the public to tweet or call in with information about drivers they know are drink-driving.

“These young drivers are not only driving illegally without having any formal experience of passing a driving test but are likely to pose a serious risk to other drivers because of their unbelievably reckless behaviour. We will not hesitate to take action against these youngsters and place them before the courts.”

In neighbouring Devon and Cornwall, 241 people aged under 18 were caught, including 53 aged under 16, The total number of under-age drinkdriver incidents has fallen slightly yearon- year but the youngest offender across the country was aged 11 in the Thames Valley in 2011.

Nationally, records show that an average of five under-18s were caught drinkdriving each week. Some of those under 18 were driving without insurance and a quarter were 16 or younger.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “Under-age driving is illegal and no person under the age of 17 should be driving a car. We have tough laws in place to tackle those caught driving without a licence.

“Drink-driving is a menace that costs lives and the government is strengthening the law to help police crack down on this problem.”