A SUMMER crackdown on drink drivers across North Yorkshire has seen more than 50 people arrested in just two weeks.

On average, the 53 motorists arrested by North Yorkshire Police blew almost twice the legal drink drive limit and there were six recorded readings of more than three times the limit.

Police have branded the results “shocking”.

The drink drive campaign, which began on June 14 and runs for a month, coincides with the World Cup.

And 11 of the arrests were within 24-hours of the England versus Panama game last Sunday.

More than eight out of ten people arrested so far have been men.

North Yorkshire Police Traffic Sergeant Andy Morton said: “It’s absolutely shocking that we’ve had to arrest an average of four people per day since our campaign began just a fortnight ago.

“It’s really not a difficult message to grasp – but some people continue to make the wrong choices and ignore our warnings.

“We see the horrific consequences of drink and drug driving first-hand.

“We have to pick up body parts from the carriageway after horrendous collisions and tell families that the person they love is lying on a mortuary slab.

“If you saw what we saw, you’d never, ever drink and drive.

“That’s why we’re so passionate about stopping people from driving under the influence.

“If you drink or take drugs and get behind the wheel, we’re determined to catch you.

“It’s really not worth risking your licence, your liberty or your life, and the lives of innocent people.”

The arrests figure represents an increase compared to the same period last year, when 49 people were arrested at the campaign’s half-way mark.

Police are carrying out hundreds of breath tests across North Yorkshire as part of the campaign.

Officers are out in force, performing stop checks at all times of the night and day including early mornings.

* Not one motorist was caught drink driving during spot checks by Cleveland Police during England's World Cup defeat against Belgium.

Special Constables stopped 230 drivers in three locations around Middlesbrough, but nobody was over the legal alcohol limit.

However, two drivers tested positive for cannabis and were arrested.