56 drivers were found not wearing a seatbelt during a road policing operation in Halstead.

During this operation, police also found eight people with no MOT, 15 people using their mobile phones while driving and four people driving at excess speed.

One person was found to be driving without a driving licence, one driver had no rear number plate and five vehicles were seized because the drivers had no insurance.

Officers carried out operations in Butler Road on September 27.

Matt Hine, of Essex Police’s Casualty Reduction Section, said: “Almost around 60 people have been caught driving without wearing a seatbelt and 15 people were found to be using their mobile phone while behind the wheel.

“These drivers were not only presenting a risk not only to themselves but others around them. We want to warn motorists that we do not tolerate this behaviour and will continue to take the necessary action to ensure our roads are a safer place to be.

“The operation was a success and was set up to reduce the number of road casualties by targeting motoring offences likely to cause collisions while disrupting criminality.”