AN INCREASE in the number of suspected drink or drug drivers has been blamed on the World Cup, hot weather and "effective enforcement" on North Yorkshire's roads.

North Yorkshire Police's summer road safety campaign has seen 118 drivers arrested over drink or drug offences in one month, as the force carried out roadside checks and traffic stops to try and tackle what they call the "destructive scourge" of drink and drug driving.

Ten drivers have already been convicted at court and banned from the roads for a total of 22 years, fined a total of more than £6,500, and some have received community orders.

The longest ban so far is 48 months and the biggest individual fine was almost £3,500, and a police spokesman said those arrested blew - on average - twice the legal drink drive limit.

The number of arrests is up by 20 since last year, which police said could be down to people going out to watch World Cup matches and the warm weather.

Roads Policing Inspector Dave Barf said: "The high number of arrests during our campaign shows how determined we are to take drink and drug drivers off our roads. It’s a destructive scourge that wrecks people’s lives, so I’m glad we’ve had such positive impact during our month-long campaign.

"I hope it’ll make people think twice. But unfortunately, drink and drug drivers tend only to think about themselves. I often wonder if they’d still do it if they saw what we saw – the absolute carnage of a crash scene; body parts on the carriageway; someone’s mum, dad or child lying rigid on a mortuary slab, and the heartbreaking reactions we see when we have to tell people a loved one has been killed. Despite our best efforts, it’s highly likely there will be families in North Yorkshire who will find themselves in exactly this situation before the year is out. You cannot believe anyone would be prepared to cause that for the sake a few extra pints or a quick high."

The campaign ran between June and July 14, with 53 charged so far, 45 bailed or released pending further investigations and 17 released with no further action.

Of the 118 arrested, 30 were arrested following a crash, and 28 were arrested following drug screening tests. Eight out of ten arrested were men, and the highest number of arrests within a 24-hour period was 11 - made within 24 hours of England's game against Panama.

York, Scarborough, Harrogate and Selby saw the most arrests, with 28, 23, 19 and 13, respectively.