Motorists lost their cars to the jaws of a crusher during a crackdown on road tax cheats.

Scores of drivers were caught out within hours of the first day of the operation's launch.

Drivers using one of Bognor's busiest roads were stopped and questioned as part of a new zero-tolerance approach to car tax dodging.

Hit squads comprising police, the DVLA and local authorities, were on hand to write out on-the-spot fines and clamp cars.

Police crushed many cars which had already been removed from the streets after police discovered them without tax.

Hit squads will be making roadside checks and scouring local estates in the Chichester and Arun districts over the next month.

The aim of the crackdown, code named Operation Vanquish, is to give tax dodgers a short, sharp shock.

Inspector Ali Darge, of Chichester Community Safety Unit, said: "Law abiding drivers have nothing to fear. Our message to people who do not have their car taxed is simple - get your vehicle taxed or we will crush it."

The authorities estimate there are about 2,800 untaxed vehicles in Chichester District and 3,500 in Arun District.

At least 12 cars were clamped during a roadside blitz on the launch of the operation.

Guilty drivers were given a hefty fine of £200 before their cars would be released.

Insp Ali Darge said: "The majority have paid up. I think we only had three cars that owners left clamped.

"The day has been very successful. We have got our message across which is what we wanted."

He said most people they stopped and clamped admitted they were at fault and paid the penalty.

During the blitz a car crusher was in operation in the car park behind Bognor Police Station.

The DVLA crushed four cars which had either been abandoned by their owners or had been found without tax.

If owners do not pay £200 for their cars to be released then after 24 hours the vehicle will be towed away.

The owner will have to pay £280 to get it back, with an additional charge of £15 for every day it remains in storage.

After 35 days it will be crushed.

Insp Darge said Operation Vanquish would also help clean up the streets by ridding estates of abandoned untaxed cars.

He said: "Abandoned vehicles are generally untaxed and can make a neighbourhood look very unsightly increasing the fear of crime amongst residents.

"We are already having a massive impact on dealing with abandoned vehicles, through the multi-agency Operation Crackdown, which has been running in the Chichester and Arun Districts for seven months. During this time well over 1000 vehicles have been removed from our streets."

The campaign also extended to tracking down benefit cheats.