TWENTY-two drivers are to be hauled before the courts after West Mercia police checks revealed one in four vehicles stopped over Christmas were defective.

Motorists across Worcestershire and Herefordshire were targeted in a series of winter road checks, with 25 per cent of the 1,600 vehicles tested found to have some sort of fault.

A total of 22 people are now facing court appearances for offences ranging from driving with faulty lights to loose wheel nuts.

The condition of vehicles and the fitness of drivers behind the wheel were both evaluated, with people arrested for drink-driving and crimes relating to drugs, theft, offensive weapons and furnishing false details.

Twenty-seven motorists received fixed penalty charges from £30 to £60 and a further 41 drivers were given 14 days to correct minor faults or face further action.

People behind the wheel even failed to belt-up when they saw the highly visible roadside stops ahead of them, police said.

"Of the 1,600 vehicles checked during the winter road safety campaign, police took immediate action in excess of 100 cases," said Sgt John Roberts, of West Mercia's traffic and operations department.

"A further 300 motorists were warned about the condition of their vehicle, meaning one in four of the total number of vehicles checked raised some cause for concern."