POLICE are warning it will be business as usual for anyone thinking of chancing drink driving this Christmas.

As the force anti drink and drug campaign Operation Holly continues, officers will be out in force breathalysing drivers they suspect might be under the influence.

Last year 320 motorists were pulled over and breathalysed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Of those, 24 were arrested and 23 subsequently charged.

By Christmas Eve 2010, police had arrested 149 people on suspicion of impaired driving.

Already, those figures are higher this year and they are predicted to rise this weekend.

Within just four days of the campaign's launch this year, officers had already arrested 43 people - 36 male and seven female - on suspicion of drink driving. This was a 126 per cent increase on arrests during the same period in 2010.

Sgt Paul Plews, who will be part of the Op Holly operations on Christmas Day, said: “Christmas, while a special day in the year, is not a 'get out jail free' card for would-be drink drivers. If we catch you, you'll be spending a day in the cells - and you can't expect a slap up festive lunch in there.

“The best you can expect is a driving ban, a hefty fine and a criminal record, which by anyone's standards is not a very merry Christmas.”

Paul, who has been with the Roads Policing Unit for nine years, said: “At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the best way to ensure you're not over the limit when you get in your car is to not drink if you're planning to drive.

“The success of your Christmas Day doesn't hinge of whether you can have a few drinks with your Christmas dinner or a sherry while watching the Queen's speech. If you have to drive, don't drink, and if you have to drink, just don't drive.”

Figures show that alcohol was a factor in six per cent of fatal and serious injury collisions across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight between 2008 and 2010.

Last Christmas almost 4,000 drivers were stopped, and 247 drink-drivers were caught.

Sgt Plews said: “Drink driving kills. Even one alcoholic drink will make a difference to your ability to react when driving, so being over the limit makes you an accident waiting to happen.”