FOOTAGE of a driver slaloming across the M5 while almost three times the drink drive limit has been released by police as part of a Christmas crackdown.

West Midlands Police and the Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) have released the video as part of their Christmas crackdown and will target motorists who put lives at risk drink and drug driving.

Police have released telling footage of a van dangerously weaving across a motorway at high speeds, almost hitting other vehicles, to highlight the dangers of drink driving.

The driver, who was almost three times the drink-drive limit, led officers on a pursuit from near Frankley Services and hit speeds of over 80mph on October 20 this year.

He only stopped on the northbound carriageway when the vehicle was ‘stung’ near junction two at Oldbury.

The driver, aged 34 from Shrewsbury, was disqualified from driving for two years and given a 12-month community order.

He was also given a bill of £245 after being taken to court.

Inspector Greg Jennings, from the Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) − an alliance between West Midlands, West Mercia and Staffordshire Police, said: "These reckless actions could have caused a serious accident and put innocent motorists at risk. It is a stark reminder of the dangers of driving while over the limit.

"Christmas time is always a peak period for us, with so many people out celebrating and perhaps behaving differently to normal.

"Collisions caused by drink and drug driving regularly result in serious injuries and deaths on our roads.

"Combining drink and illegal drugs is especially deadly - it has been found that drivers who have consumed both are 23 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than sober drivers."

The campaign last Christmas saw 2,437 motorists stopped for breath tests with 285 providing a positive test or failed to provide a sample.

This was followed by a summer crackdown which saw CMPG officers make 69 drink-drive arrests from 259 breath tests − a hit rate of 26 per cent.

Insp Jennings said: "It shows we’re targeting the right people and not unfairly inconveniencing innocent motorists. Our approach is intelligence-led, targeting people and vehicles we believe to be drink drive risk takers."

An online survey has also been produced so members of the public can assist officers in catching offenders and is available at www.snapsurveys.com