More than 1250 drivers were caught speeding in Scotland in just one week last month.

A police report said 949 drivers were detected by speed cameras and a further 306 were stopped by officers.

The details have been released as officers hit out at the failure by drivers to heed basic road safety laws.

One driver was caught driving at 118mph in a 70mph limit on the A9 south of Inverness while another stopped for speeding was found to be in possession of drugs and a machete, large knife, lock knife and a hatchet.

The driver of an HGV stopped because his passenger was not wearing a seat belt was found to have four outstanding warrants and was arrested.

Around 30 motorists were also found to be using a mobile phone and a further 27 had failed to use their seat belt.

Chief inspector Craig Linton said: "It is very disappointing that so many drivers are failing to heed the simplest rules of the road.

"Last Friday we saw a driver sentenced to five years in prison because he caused the death of a driver when he was on his mobile.

"The dashcam evidence presented in court showed that he spent the 18 seconds prior to the collision using his mobile phone instead of paying attention to his driving.

"That is the very real consequence of using a mobile phone while driving - one family devastated by the loss of a much-loved wife, mother and grandmother - and another devastated by a member being imprisoned for five years and disqualified from driving for several years after his release."

He added: "I am also disappointed to hear that our officers in the North of the country detected 12 drivers for drink driving offences over this past weekend alone.

"These 12 individuals not only put their own lives in jeopardy, but by their actions, exposed other road users to unnecessary danger; and now risk losing their licences, very possibly their employment as well as the consequent impact on their families.

"I urge all drivers to think about their responsibility as drivers, to heed the law for the protection of themselves and every other road user."