NEARLY 70 motorists in Cumbria were arrested for being over the drink-drive limit in June.

Cumbria Police this week released figures from its summer campaign to target people who drive while under the influence and said a 'significant number' of drivers were still getting behind the wheel after drinking.

It was part of a nationwide crackdown to catch those who flout the law and to identify trends and attitudes toward drink driving.

This year, 67 people were arrested in the county after officers carried out 880 breath tests.

It means that eight per cent of those tested were either over the drink-drive limit or failed to provide a test.

Fourteen of the arrests were made as a result of road accidents and, of the drivers who failed breath tests, 44 were older than 25.

Last year, officers arrested 95 people after conducting 952 breath tests and, in 2009, 88 arrests were made after 1,434 tests.

Police also increased their use of field impairment tests during the campaign this year to catch people suspected of drug-driving.

Of the six tests carried out, five people were found to be driving under the influence of drugs and were arrested.

Chief Inspector Kevin Greenhow, of Cumbria Roads Policing Unit, said he hoped the fall in arrests meant fewer people were drink-driving.

But he added: “It is still clear that a significant number of people in Cumbria continue to think it is acceptable to get behind the wheel while they are over the drink drive limit or under the influence of drugs.

“Over the years there has been a steady decrease in the number of drivers who police suspect are driving over the limit – which explains why numbers of breath tests have reduced slightly,” he added.

“This is positive but the consistent numbers of positive readings could suggest that we are just getting better at identifying the signs and targeting the right motorists.”

This year, the importance of the public’s help was highlighted on June 22 when police were tipped off about a white caravanette driving at 30mph on the M6, weaving across the road.

On arrival, police met a tail back of slow-moving traffic and saw that cars had placed themselves in all three lanes of the motorway to protect the caravanette and prevent an accident.

When responding officer PC Richard Currie went to stop the vehicle, it drove onto the embankment and then off onto the hard shoulder.

The driver, 41-year-old David McIntosh, from Ayrshire, was found to be four times the legal limit.

When he appeared at court, he was given a five-year driving ban and told to retake his test to get his licence back.

PC Currie said: “This is an example of the positive, immediate action taken after we received information from the public.”

Police urged anyone who suspects that someone is driving while under the influence to telephone them on 0845-33-00-247.