GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S annual drink drive campaign led to 70 arrests in one month.

The county’s police force has revealed its figures for the Christmas drink drive campaign, which ran from December 1 to January 1.

Officers carried out 2,447 breath tests during the crackdown and made 70 arrests for driving while under the influence of alcohol.

This means the arrest rate stood at 2.86 per cent, a marked reduction on the previous year’s campaign when 93 people, or 3.57 per cent, out of the 2,604 breathalysed were arrested for drink driving.

Temporary Inspector Keith Fagan, of the force’s safety and traffic management department, said the figures were heartening.

He said: "We are pleased that we have seen a notable reduction in arrests for drink driving during the campaign.

"This year’s campaign has been conducted using more specific intelligence led targeting of known drink drivers and in areas that are known to have a higher level of offences being committed.

"Numerous intelligence led operations were undertaken in these areas throughout the campaign. It is a model that will be revisited in the May campaign.

Insp Fagan added: "These results give me hope that finally people are beginning to heed the warnings and publicity given to the dangers and consequences of drink driving.

"Of course, we would far rather make no arrests for this offence. That would mean no one was putting their own life and those of others at risk on the county roads through drink driving."

Some 19 of those arrested during the campaign were among the 385 people breath tested at the scene of road traffic collisions.

A further five people were arrested for being unfit through drugs.

Those who are convicted of their offence will face a minimum driving ban of a year, plus a fine.