More than 250 people arrested for drink driving during Nottinghamshire Police’s latest campaign

Both were banned from driving as a result and are now counting the personal and professional costs of losing their licences.

The young men were two of a total of 390 motorists arrested for driving under the influence of drink or drugs between August and the end of October.

They included a woman who "admitted to making a stupid mistake" after she was involved in a minor collision at a McDonald's drive-thru in Mansfield; a man who knew immediately that his "new job was ruined" when he was pulled over on the Hucknall bypass and a young man caught near the city with his mates in the car, each of whom had to make their own way home.

Of the 251 failed roadside breath tests between August and the end of October, a reading of 170, nearly five times the legal limit of 35, is believed to be the highest.

That was recorded on the morning of October 26, from a 51-year-old man after a collision involving his car and a van. He is currently on police bail.

At the beginning of August, Nottinghamshire Police launched a new public awareness campaign highlighting the everyday consequences of losing a driving licence because of a drink-driving conviction.

The campaign included three light-hearted videos focusing on the shame, embarrassment and inconvenience experienced by three characters chosen to reflect key areas of concern.

Detective Inspector Jamie Moore, head of roads policing at Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Every one of the people stopped and arrested during the course of this campaign is now counting the cost of their actions, from lost job opportunities and higher insurance costs to the shame and disappointment of those around them.

"They may not have hurt anybody else in the process, but they have absolutely hurt themselves in ways that will continue to affect them for many years to come.

"And that was the purpose of this campaign: to encourage people to think about how a driving ban would impact them and to take the necessary steps to avoid one, because driving under the influence can also kill your career, your relationship and your family life.

"If even one driver has had cause to rethink driving on the morning after a night out, or risking it after a couple of beers because they assume they will be okay, then this campaign will have been worthwhile."