More than 300 motorists were pulled off the road in Leigh as part of a major road safety enforcement exercise by police, fire and council road safety officers.

Officers were on patrol around the town centre and Atherleigh Way from Wednesday to Saturday. The majority of motorist pulled over were driving illegally whilst holding a mobile phone or not wearing a seat belt.

They were given the choice of paying their fine or reporting to the fire station on St Helens Road to be shown an educational video of the potential consequences of dangerous driving by fire and rescue officers.

Council road safety manager, Julie Dagnall said: “It takes less than a second for a road collision to occur and wearing a seatbelt could mean the difference between life and death.”

Deputy Council Leader David Molyneux adds: I’m disappointed that so many people are driving dangerously on our roads, but would like to thank the fire and rescue service, the police and road safety colleagues for their work in getting this vital message out to drivers and passengers”.

The enforcement event brings together the council and partners from the Wigan Road Safety Forum. The sessions caught 304 seat belt offenders. Of these, 57 declined to attend the video session and took the fixed penalty instead.

There were 34 other offenders who were noted by the authorities:

1 person arrested for drink driving.

2 vehicles seized for no vehicle excise licence.

3 vehicles seized for not being insured.

18 offenders driving using mobile phones.

4 offenders for excessive tinted windows.

6 offenders for registration plate offences.

Children whose parents were called in watched a separate video, ‘Teddy Takes a Tumble’, which showed them what happens to an unrestrained toy, or child, during a collision. Specially trained council road safety officers supervised the children during the sessions.

Senior officer in the operation, Sgt John Brennan, said: “This was a very productive day as we were able to tell those caught of the dangers of driving without a seat belt or whilst using a mobile. I hope the effect is long lasting. “All too often I’ve attend a crash scene where people have been needlessly killed or seriously injured. It’s dreadful to have to explain to families that their loved ones would be alive today if they had simply worn their seat belt or hadn’t been using their hand-held phone when driving.”