'It’s frightening how many drink and drive': On patrol with police in Shropshire crackdown

He had been banned once before for drink driving and now he had been pulled over by the police after coming out of the pub.

He was breathalysed by Sergeant Gavin Williams – who noticed his eyes were glazed – and he blew 27, close to the legal limit of 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The driver, who was pulled over in a county village, told the officers he had "been done" for drink-driving before so he knew what he was allowed to drink.

He said: "I've only had two pints. I've been done for this before so I know all the limits.

"I saw the police car behind me and thought, 'Should I even get in this car?'."

After a quick vehicle check to ensure the car was insured and taxed, the driver was sent on his way with some words of advice.

Sergeant Williams said: "He was very close to the limit, he was not over, but he was intoxicated."

The sergeant was out in the county with Inspector Nigel Webster and had invited the Shropshire Star along to see what the police are doing as part of their Christmas campaign to stop people driving while under the influence of drink and drugs.

The campaign started on December 1 and runs through to December 31.

Over the past three years 13 people have been killed and 109 seriously injured in West Mercia following collisions where drink or drugs were recorded as a factor.

The consequences if caught drink driving are a possible six months imprisonment, an unlimited fine and a driving ban for at least one year.

Inspector Webster said: "Recently a parent has gone to pick their child up from school and had been drinking.

"There's the possibility of a child or many children being seriously hurt there.

"It's not just about catching them, it's about referring them to the right places and helping them.

"When I spoke to this person's partner he was pleased that we'd intervened as she wouldn't listen to him."

Sergeant Williams said that with Christmas parties more people are out drinking than normal.

He added: "We tend to have a lot of people who don't go out all year and then build it up and drink on one day.

"There's a lot of competition for the taxis, a lot are fully booked, so some people drink and drive who would never normally.

"It's frightening how many people do drink and drive, or use drugs and drive."

While Sergeant Williams drives, Inspector Webster conducts checks on cars and they pull over any vehicles committing a road traffic offence, or driving like they have been drinking.

Just before midnight the pair pulled an estate car over in Telford as the driver sped past while the police car was waiting at a junction.

The driver and his passenger were known to Sergeant Williams and Inspector Webster and had previously been connected to drugs.

Sergeant Williams breathalysed the driver while Inspector Webster searched the passenger and the vehicle.

The search came back clear and the driver had five microgrammes of alcohol, but Sergeant Williams decided to do a drugs test as the driver's eyes were glazed and his reactions were slow.

That is when the driver popped something from his pocket into his mouth, which turned out to be a Subutex, commonly used to treat pain from drug addictions.

Sergeant Williams then had to wait for 20 minutes for the substance to be completely clear from the driver's mouth before doing the drugs swipe.

After a further eight-minute wait, the results come back positive for cocaine.

The driver is arrested and taken to custody, and his passenger starts the walk home.

The driver is booked into custody, gives his details and a sample of blood to be tested and is released under investigation.

When the results come back he will be informed of the reading and potentially given a court date if he is charged.

Inspector Webster said drug-driving now accounts for more arrests than drink-driving.

He added: "We arrest more people for using drugs and driving than drinking. A lot of people drive under the influence of cannabis.

"We do a roadside test and within eight minutes it'll show up if someone has cannabis or cocaine in their system."

"The vast majority of people do behave themselves, it's just this time of year."