A MOTORIST eating a bowl of cereal was just one of the people stopped by traffic officers as part of a crackdown on distracted drivers.

The person was caught scoffing their breakfast by GMP during a major operation to catch those who disregard the safety of other road users, primarily drivers using the mobile phone at the wheel.

On the first day of the campaign, on Monday last week, 23 people were stopped in St Helens Road, Bolton, for flouting driving laws.

Superintendent Craig Thompson said: “Last week was just the beginning of our focus on these offences over the coming weeks and send a clear message to anyone using a mobile phone while driving – it will absolutely not be tolerated here in Greater Manchester and it must stop.

“As Chief Constable Hopkins said last week, it is time for drivers to take personal responsibility for what they do when in charge of a vehicle.

"You wouldn’t drink and drive so why is it ok to use a phone when in control of a vehicle? We can all make a difference by urging people to think about their actions.”

Officers have been using undercover and marked police vehicles to catch people, with the operation continuing throughout the coming weeks and in the run up to Christmas.

In the first week alone, 142 people were stopped for using a phone and a further four reprimanded for not being in proper control of a vehicle.

This included one driver who was eating their cereal while driving along Manchester Road in Hyde.

From next year, new penalties will be in place seeing drivers get six points on their licence and a £200 spot fine for using a mobile phone while driving.

More than 5,000 drivers in Greater Manchester have been given fixed penalty notices or sent on a mobile phone awareness course in the past two years.

Traffic officers believe those numbers are just the tip of the iceberg with an increasing number of people being spotted driving and using their mobile phones.

Look out on social media for posts with the hashtag #wrongfortheroad.

Anyone with details of persistent offenders who are driving and using their mobile should contact local officers or call 101 with details.