A crackdown on rogue motorists resulted in 88 cars being taken off the road and 14 arrests.

Operation Facade saw Southend Council's CCTV room use automatic number plate recognition equipment, while police cars and motorbikes were stationed at key points in Victoria Avenue and London Road, Southend.

As soon as a suspect number plate was spotted on CCTV, police on the street were notified and the vehicle was stopped.

The operation took place over ten days in December, for five hours at a time.

The 14 arrests and 88 vehicles taken off the road were a result of their drivers having no tax, no driving licence or any insurance.

A total of 118 people were issued with fixed penalty notices for offences including using a mobile phone while driving and not wearing a seatbelt.

Also, 27 people who were stopped for motoring offences were found to be wanted by the police for other crimes.

Insp Basil Thornton, based at Southend police station, said: "These excellent results have only been possible thanks to the teamwork we have enjoyed with Southend Council and our colleagues from the road policing unit.

"We will be looking to repeat this success with more operations over the coming months.

"We must send a clear message that illegal motoring will not be tolerated in Southend."

Ian Robertson, councillor for a safer, cleaner, Southend, said: "This operation has caught some motoring law breakers, leading to safer roads.

"It has also helped identify criminals who may be wanted for all sorts of other offences and who may have carried on offending if they had not been stopped."