A SOUTH Lakeland police station will be offering motorists the opportunity to have their eyes checked next week - in a bid to cut road accidents.

Grange Police Station is working in conjunction with opticians and will be giving drivers the chance to read a number plate at the regulation 20.5 metres.

Community police officer PC Colin Morris explained that no action would be taken against anyone who could not read the registration plate but motorists who could not would be able to enlist for a free eye test.

He added that certain groups such as those over 60, those over 40 with a family history of Glaucoma, those with diabetes and those on working family tax credit or job seekers' allowance were eligible for free eye sight tests.

"We have had a couple of serious accidents on the A590 involving elderly drivers, I am not saying that they were necessarily down to their eye sight. But if your eye sight is poor you can misjudge things such as distances," PC Morris said.

And he warned: "If you do have an accident and your eye sight is a contributory factor than you could face prosecution. Just as you would maintain a vehicle you should maintain your eyes."