A DRIVER seen swigging from a 1.5 litre bottle of vodka while behind the wheel was more than three-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit, police allege.

Officers from Dorset Police's No Excuse team were called to a Boscombe supermarket car park at 8.30pm on Wednesday night.

Before they arrived, it is claimed the driver was involved in a minor collision.

A London man in his 40s has been charged with drink driving and having no insurance for the vehicle after he allegedly gave a reading of 129 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The limit is 35 micrograms, meaning the driver, if convicted, will have been 3.6 times the limit.

The car itself was also seized as it allegedly had no insurance.

It follows further stops for suspected drink driving on the evening of Saturday, November 9.

Officers from the team were due to patrol Wessex Gate in Poole. However, within five minutes of leaving the police station in Poole, officers spotted a vehicle 'swerving' across the road behind them.

The car then allegedly undertook the unmarked police car and went through two red lights.

Police illuminated their blue lights and attempted to get the driver to pull over. However, it is alleged the vehicle sped up, overtaking two other cars, before finally stopping further down the road.

An officer claimed: "The driver was under the influence of alcohol, and driving alone on a provisional licence.

"The motorist was arrested. He provided a reading of more than twice the legal limit and stayed in the cells overnight."

The officer alleged the driver had downed "five or six pints" in Poole before deciding to return to Swanage.

The man has been charged with driving offences and is due to appear at court.

During the same shift, another suspected drink driver was arrested. It is alleged that he failed to provide samples of his breath for analysis, a criminal offence.

A further four vehicles were seized – one for no insurance and three for motorists driving alone on a provisional licence – while five fixed penalty notices were issued for illegal tyres, speeding and parking on a zig zag. One taxi driver was also given a fixed penalty notice for contravening a 'no entry' sign.