Following its huge success last year, the Oxford Mail is re-launching its Be a Big Softie campaign, aimed at reducing drink driving by encouraging pubs, bars and clubs to offer cut-price soft drinks to designated drivers during the festive period.

Licensed premises across Oxfordshire raised their glasses to the scheme last year, many slashing their prices or even offering free non-alcoholic drinks to sober revellers. And once more, they are already queuing-up to do the same this yuletide.

At Raoul's cocktail bar in Walton Steet, Oxford, general manager Tim Fitz-Gibbon is offering patrons who are driving free draught cola and lemonade, from the week before Christmas until the New Year.

He said: "The price of a coke or juice is nothing compared with the price of a life, so of course we will give them free if it can stop someone drinking and driving."

Supt Neil Olney, head of Roads Policing for Thames Valley Police, said: "I welcome this campaign because it draws attention to the dangers of drink-driving and I hope it will encourage people not to risk it.

"On average 24 people die on the roads every year as a result of drink-driving. Don't risk your life and the lives of others for the sake of one for the road."

He added: "We will be conducting road safety checks throughout Oxfordshire in the run-up to Christmas to ensure people are wearing seatbelts, not using their mobiles, and are not drinking and driving so that everyone can enjoy a safer Christmas."

Motorists attending Christmas party meals at the The Longwall Beefeater pub, in Oxford Business Park, Oxford, from December 1 to 23, should tell staff they are the driver for the evening to qualify for free soft drinks. Longwall manager Tim Crocker said: "We want to encourage safe, responsible driving over the festive period and this initiative helps us to do this."

Be a Big Softie has also been given a thumbs-up by Oxfordshire's County Council's trading standards department, which inspects premises to ensure drinkers are given a wide range of non-alcoholic options.

Richard Webb, trading standards' group manager for community safety said: "Soft drinks are often dearer than beer for the same quantity. There are no controls on the amount that pubs, or any other retailer, charge for soft drinks.

"But at this time of year in particular, we would expect responsible traders to offer reasonably priced non-alcoholic drinks so that people are discouraged from drinking alcohol and driving."

In the coming weeks, the Oxford Mail will be printing lists of all those taking part in Be a Big Softie.

Any pubs wishing to take part and be a big softie too, should call reporter Debbie Waite on 01865 425428.