Woman's spray tan stops her using a seatbelt in Dorset

A woman who was stopped by police for not wearing her seatbelt told them she had just had a spray tan and "didn't want to smudge it".

Dorset police said another motorist claimed he was speeding because he was a "stranger to the country" and was "confused" by road signs.

They were among excuses given by drivers who have committed 7,000 traffic offences since January.

The force's "No Excuse" campaign will continue for the rest of the year.

Those who were not wearing a seatbelt accounted for 17% of the total number of people prosecuted, and 14% were caught for using a mobile phone while driving.

Several drivers were caught driving in excess of 100mph in a 70mph zone.

During the operation the enforcement team ran an operation called "Surround a Town", where officers were placed on all approach roads to Dorchester.

A total of 287 driving offences were processed from that operation.

The Dorset Road Safe scheme is run by agencies including Dorset Police, the fire service and Dorset County Council.

Dorset Safety Camera Partnership, NHS Dorset, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust, the Highways Agency and Bournemouth borough council and Poole council are also all involved.