DORSET Police heard a range of ‘colourful’ excuses from motorists pulled over for dangerous driving in Dor-chester during their last ‘surround a town’ crackdown.

Officers dealt with 195 motoring offences during the one-day ‘ring of steel’ operation on November 3, which was part of Dorset Road Safe’s No Excuse campaign.

Of the 195 offences dealt with, police caught 44 drivers speeding and 15 were caught using mobile phones at the wheel.

Other offences officers dealt with included 21 people driving vehicles without MoTs, two people driving while not in proper control of their vehicle, one vehicle with bald tyres and two carrying dangerous loads.

A police spokesman said: “The No Excuse enforcement teams again heard a range of colourful excuses from motorists caught behaving dangerously throughout the day.

“This included a man who was caught speeding while eating a pasty who said he was in a rush to get to McDonald’s to get a coffee and have a fag.

“Another man was stopped as he was ‘in a rush’ to get to a tyre outlet as he had a nail in his tyre but hadn’t bothered wearing his seatbelt, hugely increasing his risk of injury.”

Officers in an unmarked car also caught a motorcyclist who decided to overtake them at 77mph in a 40mph zone and crossed over double white lines.

The rider already had nine points on his licence for speeding.

The police spokesman said a ‘lot of drivers’ were caught speeding in Poundbury en route to Dorset County Hospital, having not left enough time for their journey.

He said that a few tried to plead ‘You’ve made me late now’ but were quickly told they had made themselves late.

A young woman was stopped while using a mobile phone and told officers it was an emergency call.

When asked who she was calling, she replied: “It’s an emergency. I’m phoning my mum to let her know I’ve got a doctor’s appointment.”

She received a fixed penalty.

The driver of a coach full of passengers was stopped for driving at 43mph in a 30mph zone.

The police spokesman said: “He was very embarrassed in front of all his passengers and stated: “I’m very sorry. I’m clearly in the wrong but I thought it was a 40mph zone.”

A fully laden, 16-tonne brewery truck was also stopped speeding at 43mph in a 30mph zone and a heavy goods vehicle was stopped travelling at 99mph on the A35 Puddletown Bypass.

The police spokesman said: “The driver braked hard when the blue lights went on, with the back of the truck snaking on the road.

“Officers also found that his two front tyres were bald, with one showing the cord.

“The driver said: ‘I know they needed changing, I just haven’t had time because I’ve got a lot on.’ “The officers pointed out that if he killed someone, life would be much more stressful.”