MORE suspected drink and drug drivers were arrested as part of Dorset Police's Christmas crackdown between December and January.

A total of 869 breath tests were carried out by officers during the initiative, which ran between Tuesday, December 1 2015 and Friday, January 1 2016.

In the previous year, 1,086 people were breathalysed during the campaign.

Officers breathalysed all drivers involved in collisions, those stopped while committing a moving road traffic offence and anyone suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol.

The Road Traffic Act does not permit random breath testing.

In total Dorset Police recorded 105 arrests during the campaign – 20 of which were for driving under the influence of drugs and five for refusing to provide a sample. During the same period the previous year 88 people were arrested.

In all, 44 people have so far been charged as a result of the campaign. Of these 33 were men and 11 were women.

Inspector Matt Butler, of the Devon and Cornwall and Dorset Alliance Road Policing Team, said: β€œIt is disappointing that despite the obvious risks, a number of motorists decided to drive after taking drugs or drinking."