More than 100 motorists were caught breaking the law near a major shopping centre in south Essex in just one day.

Police had set themselves up on the approach roads to Lakeside yesterday in an effort to crackdown on bad driving.

A total of 51 drivers were caught speeding, while a further 52 were stopped because someone inside the vehicle was not wearing a seatbelt.

This included a number of children, or people who were sat over the belt which had been plugged in.

Other offences committed on the day included vehicles where more than one passenger was sat on a single seat.

The official list of offences was:

• 1 x arrest for drug driving

• 51 x excess speed

• 52 x no seatbelt

• 9 x dangerously carrying passengers

• 2 x no insurance

• 1 x no licence

• 2 x defective tyres

• 1 x using a mobile phone

• 1 x not in proper control (texting)

• 1 x no MOT

• 1 x careless driving

• 1 x illegal number plate

• 2 x cars seized for no licence/insurance

• 3 people were stop searched and 2 people received community resolutions for possession of cannabis

Pc Zara Hanson from the Roads Policing Unit who was in charge of the operation said “It is a shame so many people have such a poor attitude towards road safety.

“The main part of our job is to try and prevent people dying on our roads which is vitally important all year round, but especially so at this time of year as we approach Christmas.

"Several vehicles today were impounded until the drivers either went and bought appropriate seats for their children or had some brought to them, however every vehicle had just been on a fast dual carriageway and it’s a shame it took our intervention to get the parents to safeguard their own children.”

“Additional work in around the Lakeside shopping centre continues through the busy Christmas shopping period and ongoing road safety work will be stepped up across the county with the increased work as part of the winter drink/drug drive campaign.”