Fewer drivers were prosecuted for speeding in Kent last year because they were stuck in Operation Stack.

Police say Stack, combined with widespread roadworks on the county's motorways, helped explain a 16% fall in prosecutions compared to 2014.

A freedom of information request revealed 62,941 drivers were fined and given points, offered a speed awareness course or taken to court in 2014.

That compares to 53,054 last year.

Kent Police said in a statement: “The reduction in the number of offences proceeded with in 2015 over 2014 will be for a number of reasons.

Two that would specifically impact on the figures in Kent for 2015 are major construction works in certain areas of the motorway network that would have resulted in speed cameras being disconnected in certain locations while the work took place.

“Secondly; the significant disruption on the M20 during the summer as a result of Operation Stack.

"This disruption may have meant that traffic was moving slower and resulted in fewer offences being identified on this usually busy stretch of road during the two months of disruption when the motorway was partially closed.”

The findings also show out of 27 forces across the UK who responded, Kent Police had the second largest number of speeding fines during that period.