Hundreds of Cambridgeshire teenagers took part in an interactive event for young drivers aimed at driving home the message of never getting behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.

Nearly 1,000 16 and 17-year-olds attended the event at Huntingdon Racecourse organised by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Road Safety Partnership.

Howard Newton, community fire safety officer, said: “Events like this are crucial in our job to reach out to the drivers of the future and raise some of the important issues.

“There were lots of students there and from the feedback we had on the day it seems they all took something away from the event.”

In 2015, 114 young people aged between 16 and 25 were killed or seriously injured on Cambridgeshire roads.

Clair George of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Road Safety Partnership said: “This is the second year the partnership has run the young driver event.

“Building on the success from last year more organisations and business had exhibitions at the event. T

“It was a great opportunity for young people to get involved and gain the information they need to make informed decisions about driving, riding and using public transport.”

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service was one of 20 organisations, businesses and emergency services that took part in the event to engage young people and new drivers about staying safe on the road and their responsibilities as both passengers and drivers.

Firefighters from Huntingdon and community fire safety officers talked to young people about the consequences of being involved in a road traffic collision, operated one of five crash-car simulators, and had fun encouraging young people to try mocktails to drive home the message about not drinking alcohol and getting behind the wheel.