Fewer drink-drivers were caught in South Holland over the festive period but police say a reduction in numbers is not a cause for celebration.
Officers were so busy dealing with other calls from the public there was not enough manpower to focus on the Christmas drink-drive campaign.
According to Spalding police, between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, 11 drivers were found to have more than 35mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, which is the legal limit, compared to 14 last year.
Twenty-five per cent of all road deaths involve the driver being under the influence of alcohol.
Detailed figures for this year will not be available until the end of the month, but Sgt Paul Wills, who headed the campaign locally, said he was disappointed at the numbers who ignored the campaign.
Sgt Wills said: “I was on duty on Christmas Day and we were so busy on other incidents that we were not out catching these people.
“The fact that it reach double figures is horrific. I arrested someone on New Year’s Day who still had 104mg of alcohol in their blood at 1pm.
“The only positive thing I can say is we were successful in taking 11 people off the roads over the festive period.”