POLICE stopped 135 people as part of seatbelt and mobile phone checks in Oxfordshire this week.

The checks took place between 8am and 12pm on the A417 at East Challow yesterday and on Charlton Road, Wantage, today with officers from the roads safety team and road safety officers from Oxfordshire County Council targeting those not wearing a seatbelt or using their mobile phone.

A total of 122 drivers were issued £30 fixed penalty tickets, but have the option to attend a road safety seminar in Wantage later this week. Those that attend the seminar will have their fixed penalties cancelled.

Nine drivers were stopped for driving while using their mobile phones. They were issued fixed penalty notices of £60, with three points on their licence. They can opt to pay £74 and attend a Call Divert workshop at a later date rather than accept the points.

Four drivers also had their cars seized and were handed £200 fixed penalties for driving while uninsured.

PC Mark Pilling, of Abingdon roads policing department, said: "It is disappointing, but unfortunately not unexpected, that so many people were travelling without their seatbelt or were using their mobile phones. Drivers know this is il