OVER 70 people were arrested on suspicion of drink driving during the first 20 days of a police crackdown across Avon and Somerset.

The arrests, under the annual Christmas Operation Tonic to combat drink and drug driving, follow high visibility stop checks and intelligence-led patrols.

Of those nabbed by police, 19 were in the Taunton and West Somerset area, with 22 in Bristol, 10 in North Somerset, 10 in East Somerset, five in South Gloucestershire and five in Bath and North-East Somerset.

Chief Inspector Yan Georgiou said many of the arrests followed tip offs from members of the public He added: “The role of local people is extremely important in helping us to crack down on anyone getting behind the wheel of a car when they have been drinking or taking drugs and posing a serious threat to other road users.

“Throughout Operation Tonic we’re responding to information the community has given us, aiming to put ourselves where the community has said we need to be and at the times we need to be there and making a number of arrests as a result.”

To report a drink driver call 999 or text the word drunk and details to 81819.