A driver eating a Pot Noodle and a trucker using his elbows to steer while he poured himself a coffee were among those stopped by lorry cops, Wiltshire Police said.

The force once again borrowed Highways England’s souped-up Mercedes HGV to patrol the M4, with the higher viewpoint allowing officers to see more easily into cars and lorry cabs.

Over the past fortnight, the county’s roads policing unit collared almost 40 people for misdemeanours ranging from not wearing their seatbelt to driving a light goods vehicle while disqualified.

Among the more unusual sightings were an HGV driver caught steering his lorry with his elbows as he made himself a coffee, a motorist eating a Pot Noodle and someone whose attempts to read messages on his smart watch ended with him steering his car onto the hard shoulder.

One car was caught doing almost twice the speed limit on the motorway between Chippenham and Swindon.

Traffic officer Sgt Will Ayres said: “We have seen some shocking behaviour and speeds. Two drivers were travelling at 110mph and 120mph and unbelievably four cars had stopped on the hard shoulder so the occupants could decide which beach they should go to. The former will be attending court and the latter were issued with fixed penalty notices.”