A BANBURY man has been charged with recording the highest drink-drive reading during a festive clampdown by police.

Thames Valley Police arrested 278 drivers in December for drink-driving compared to 299 in the same month in 2011.

About six per cent of drivers tested were at least three times over the limit, a police spokesman said.

A total of 74 were arrested in Oxfordshire – 26 in Oxford, 19 in Cherwell, 20 in Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire, and nine in West Oxfordshire.

Marcin Leja, of Rye Close, Banbury will appear at Banbury Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday accused of having 168 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit of 35 micrograms.

The 33-year-old was arrested on December 12 at 11.30pm.

During the campaign 9.3 per cent were arrested in the morning compared with 8.4 per cent last year.