A MERCEDES filled with five young Southampton women speeding at almost 100mph was caught as part of a huge police operation aimed at slashing road fatalities.

The five women, aged between 20 and 25, were caught travelling at 98mph on their way to Durdle Door in Dorset.

Police caught the quintet, from Southampton, on the A35 using a laser which alerted them to the high speed the car was travelling at.

While one of the passengers - who was the insurance holder for the car - was being questioned, police discovered the driver was uninsured so she was cautioned and reported to court. The insurance holder may also be reported to court for allowing an uninsured person to drive.

After she was cautioned, she said: “I am feeling fine about it. I’m just hungry now so want to get going.”

The women then continued on their journey to Durdle Door.

It came as part of a ‘One Road, One Week’ campaign by the Dorset force which focusses on reducing the ‘fatal five’ offences. These refer to drink and drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt, speeding, driving while distracted and careless driving.

The road was chosen because it has a 70mph speed limit and is commonly used by tourists visiting the area.

Police bikes, marked cars and unmarked cars were sent out to ‘flood’ the road as part of the operation.

Within the first two hours of the day, three drivers were stopped for speeding, all of whom were from outside the area.

Throughout the day, police said they detected more than 200 speeding drivers along a stretch of the route and stopped more than 50 motorists for various road traffic offences.

As reported, thousands of holidaymakers broke lockdown rules earlier this year to head to the landmark - many of them from the South.

Chaotic scenes were reported over the bank holiday weekend in May, with a packed beach, lack of social distancing, inconsiderate parking and rubbish strewn across the picturesque estate.