POLICE in Salisbury made nine arrests in a single overnight shift as officers cracked down on drink and drug driving across the city and surrounding villages.

Between 7pm and 5am on Friday, June 13, Team 4 Salisbury carried out targeted patrols that led to multiple arrests, including three suspected drink drivers and one drug driver.

One of the most dramatic incidents followed reports of a crash on the A345 at Longhedge where a vehicle had allegedly left the scene.

Using witness accounts, officers tracked down a damaged vehicle heading towards Tidworth with significant front-end damage.

A man was arrested and taken into custody.

Timothy Jones, 29, of Upper Tumble, Llanelli, has since been charged with drink driving and is due to appear at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court on September 8.

In a separate incident, quick-thinking members of the public alerted police after spotting a suspected drink driver leaving a pub in Bulford.

Officers located the vehicle and arrested a man in his 50s from Salisbury on suspicion of drink driving.

He has since been released on bail while enquiries continue.

Police said public tip-offs played a crucial role in helping officers take potentially dangerous drivers off the road.

PC Jack Bailey said: “This level of activity shows just how committed our officers are to keeping Salisbury and the surrounding areas safe.

“Drink and drug driving are completely unacceptable, and we will continue to take robust action against anyone who puts others at risk.

“I’d like to thank the members of the public who reported concerns to us — their vigilance plays a vital role in helping us take dangerous drivers off the road.”

The arrests came during a busy night of proactive policing, with officers targeting road safety and criminal activity across the Salisbury area.