TWENTY-NINE people where arrested on the Isle of Wight for drink driving over the Christmas period.

Operation Holly arrest data shows a 10 per cent increase in arrests for drink and drug driving across Hampshire and the Thames Valley, with 601 arrests between December 1 2017 and January 1 2018.

Over 350 were charged and a further 175 released under investigation.

Over three quarters of those arrested were male, with the highest offending group aged 21 to 30.

The operation featured a combination of high visibility patrols, covert operations and intelligence-led policing aimed at targeting persistent offenders.

Sergeant Rob Heard, Roads Policing Joint Operations Unit for Thames Valley Police and Hampshire Constabulary, said: "We’ve seen a rise in the number of people we have arrested for drink or drug-driving. New legislation and equipment has made detecting drug drivers much easier and this resulted in 63 extra arrests. 25 per cent of those were impaired by drugs. "Such behaviour on our roads has far-reaching effects not just for the impaired driver, but for any innocent road users affected by their destructive decisions.

"Our message is simple – don’t mix drink or drugs with driving – it’s not worth the risk."