Drug driving on the rise as police reveal hundreds of festive arrests

West and North Yorkshire Police carried out Christmas crackdowns on people driving after drinking or taking drugs

More than 550 people have been arrested in West and North Yorkshire as part of a crackdown on drink and drug driving.

In West Yorkshire police made 271 arrests for drink driving and 168 for drug driving.

Over the border in North Yorkshire officers made 73 alcohol-related arrests and 40 linked to drug use.

In North Yorkshire police said they had seen a rise in people aged 17 to 25 arrested for drug driving while drug arrests in West Yorkshire rose by 75%.

"It's a change in society and what people are willing to accept," Supt Emma Aldred said.

The officer said among the substances drivers were testing positive for were cannabis, heroin and cocaine.

West Yorkshire Police said the number of drug driving arrests had risen by 73 from the previous year while alcohol-related offences were up by 50.

Supt Emma Aldred said it was disappointing people were still breaking the law

In North Yorkshire one 43-year-old woman from Richmondshire was found to be more than four times the legal drink driving limit, police said.

When she was breathalysed she had 141 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Police said while drink and drug driving was a year-round priority there was a particular focus on the issue around Christmas and summer because of people socialising more.

Supt Aldred said there was still a persistent hardcore number of people breaking the law, which was "disappointing".

"Despite all the campaigning and warnings about the consequences there are still those individuals who are willing to take the risk," she said.

"This is not just being slightly over the limit either, it's three or four times, which is absolutely disgraceful."

The force said the arrests made had so far had led to seven convictions, resulting in £3,621 in fines and disqualifications totalling 126 months.