Thames Valley Police spent the last two months waiting in laybys on country lanes to snare boozy motorists, stopping 46 drivers a day across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

More than 300 motorists were found to be over the limit for alcohol or drugs, or 11% of those stopped. But in the Newbury area, that fell to just 5.5%.

Supt Neil Olney, head of Roads Policing, said: "This campaign was very successful with a high arrest rate. It sends out a clear message that we are proactively targeting those who risk their lives and others by drinking and driving.

"However, these results reinforce our fears that too many drivers are still taking the risk of drinking and driving.

"They also indicate that if you risk it, you stand a very good chance of being caught.

"Although this operation is over, those who drink and drive still stand a good chance of being caught. Drink driving is an issue we concentrate on all year round, and we arrest on average 17 drink-drivers every day.

"My message is clear, have none for the road, for your own sake and the sake of others."

The Halfway pub on the A4 near Kintbury, and the Four Points at Aldworth were two of the police hotspots for nabbing drivers coming out of the pub car parks.