Three drivers clocked at over 100mph in an hour

An officer from Essex Police was carrying out checks on the A12 on Friday afternoon when the high speeds were recorded

A road policing chief said he was left "horrified" after three drivers were caught driving at over 100 mph on a stretch within the space of an hour.

Adam Pipe, from Essex Police, said one of his officers, who was carrying out speed checks on the A12 between Chelmsford and Witham, detected a total of 180 offences in just 60 minutes.

One motorist was clocked driving at 140mph, another at 121mph - and a third at 110mph. They will all receive court summons, the force added.

"It's totally unacceptable and is putting road users, as well as themselves, at risk of serious injury or death," Mr Pipe said.

'Irreparable damage'

"I'm horrified to see drivers reaching twice the legal speed limit on our roads," he added.

"We've seen a number of serious collisions on our roads this year, with people losing their lives."

He said the force was committed to reducing speeds and officers were patrolling the roads network 24 hours a day, to catch irresponsible drivers and keep people safe.

The patrol was carried out on Friday afternoon.

Mr Pipe said: "I urge people to think about the consequences of driving too fast and the irreparable damage that can be caused.

"Don't resort to speeding, it's never worth the devastating cost," he warned.

The fixed penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and three points on a driving licence.

Drivers who exceed the limit by a significant margin can expect six points on a licence, as well as a court appearance and a driving ban, the RAC said.