Nearly a third of all drivers stopped in roadside breath tests over Christmas and the new year were arrested.

In total 211 motorists were held after failing roadside breath tests between the start of December and New Year's Day this year. That is 31% of all those tested.

Police carried out 681 tests throughout the month, compared with 1,126 last year, when 222 people were found to be drink-driving.

That means the percentage arrested has risen sharply from 20 per cent - or one in five - last year.

This year, a 47-year-old Thanet man was found to be more than five times over the legal drink-drive limit when he was stopped by police on December 2.

He blew a breath test of 148 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

He was sentenced two weeks later at Thanet Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to drink driving.

Magistrates disqualified him from driving for 29 months and ordered him to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay costs.

Roads policing traffic sergeant Hannah Brown said: “Fortunately nobody was killed or injured as a result of this particular incident.

"But it’s regrettable that he and some other motorists choose to ignore our constant messages about the dangers they pose to themselves and others by drink driving.

“Driving under the influence of drink or drugs risks lives.

"If the worst was to happen and someone dies in a drink drive related collision, there are catastrophic consequences for the family or families left behind.

"In addition, the offender will have to live with what he or she has done forever and may spend time in prison too."

She said at best the driver would have a criminal record, which could affect their job prospects, insurance premiums and even their ability to get a visa to visit other countries.

She added: "Thankfully, only a minority of motorists think that it's acceptable to put the lives of others at risk. Most drivers take appropriate measures to ensure that they don't have to get behind the wheel after an alcoholic drink."

On average one person is killed in a collision on Kent’s roads each week.

Of these, statistics show one in six of those deaths involves someone driving under the influence of drink or drugs.