On average, ‘five drivers a day’ were caught speeding at more than 100mph during the 2014-15 financial year, according to figures obtained by BBC Radio 5 live.

A Freedom of Information request, submitted by BBC Radio 5 Live, asked the UK’s 45 police forces to submit details of motorists who had been caught, by a speed camera or a police officer’s radar, travelling at speeds of over 100mph during the last financial year.

Although Thames Valley, Greater Manchester, and Kent police forces did not participate in the information request and a number of forces only provided some of the information requested, the information that was obtained showed that in total, 2,169 motorists were stopped for speeding at over 100mph, with 152 of those caught driving at 120 mph or faster.

A Cambridge United footballer was caught driving his BMW at 156mph – the highest speed recorded in the last year. The offending driver was given a six month driving ban and fined £1,400.

A quarter of people caught driving over 130mph were travelling in BMW cars or motorcycles, while another 13 drivers were driving Audi, Mercedes or Ford cars.

David Robinson, a specialist road traffic accident solicitor based in Thompsons Solicitors’ Newcastle office, said: “The number of people caught driving at over 100mph in the last year is so shocking, it’s almost unbelievable, and this is information that omits several key forces.

“National speed limits are in place to protect drivers, passengers and all road users, and to learn that over 2,000 drivers flouted the law to such extreme proportions during the last year is extremely concerning.

“Excessive speeding is incredibly dangerous and the consequences of a high speed collision are tragically often fatal. The short term driving bans and pitiful fines handed out to offending drivers, who are lucky enough to avoid a collision, are wholly inadequate and more must be done to deter such reckless and deadly driving on our roads.”