A driver caught using his phone at the wheel told police 'he had just been bitten on the ear'.

Dorset Police's dedicated No Excuse team, committed to cracking down on bad and careless driving across Dorset, carried out patrols in Dorchester and Sherborne on Thursday.

One HGV driver was spotted using their phone and was issued a ticket for six points and handed a £200 fine. Police also sent a report to the traffic commissioner.

Posting about their latest patrol on social media, the No Excuse team said: "Another driver was blatantly on their phone, he denied the offence saying he had just been bitten on the ear and invited us to check...

"A vehicle was seized for no insurance, along with a fine of £300 and six points. [The driver] will have to pay a release fee of at least £150 to get it back."

Officers said a number of other drivers were stopped for speeding along the Puddletown bypass and along the A37 towards Yeovil, including one driver caught doing 86mph in a 60mph zone on the A37. They were reported to court for the offence and now face a fine of up to £1000, and between three and six points or a ban.

A spokesman for the team said: "Another lorry driver was stopped for speeding and weren't aware that due to the size of their vehicle, they have different speed limits. Bit worrying as a professional driver.

"They were issued a fixed penalty ticket and words of advice regarding their attitude to driving and other road users."

The No Excuse road safety campaign was launched in January 2010 in an attempt to reduce the numbers killed and seriously injured on roads throughout the county.

In October 2014, a new dedicated team took over the running of No Excuse enforcement, aiming to stop dangerous driving by tackling the ‘fatal five’ – speeding, failure to wear seatbelts, driving using a phone, drink/drug driving, and careless or inconsiderate driving.

The No Excuse team works with Alliance Roads Policing and partners to combat the fatal five behaviours.

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