EIGHTY drivers were caught using a mobile phone behind the wheel during a week-long enforcement campaign.

Last week, Essex Police officers clamped down on drivers using mobile phone after it was announced that offenders will no longer be offered educational courses.

Drivers detected committing the offence for the first time will now automatically receive three penalty points on their licence and a £100 fine. The punishment will double to six points and a £200 fine in 2017.

Adam Pipe, casualty reduction manager at Essex Police, said: "It’s disappointing to see that a number of drivers are still refusing to take notice of the law.

"Mobile phones, hand held or otherwise, divert your attention away from the road and mean drivers are slower at recognising and reacting to hazards on the roads.

"Hazards on the roads can emerge very quickly and just a split-second lapse in concentration can result in a crash, serious injury or worse.

"It is illegal to use a handheld mobile device when driving whether you are moving, stopped at traffic lights or queuing in traffic."