A couple of mounted police officers galloped after a man using his phone while driving in a Somerset town.

Avon and Somerset Police posted a video of the two officers on horseback spotting the man in a silver car committing the infraction as he drove away from them.

The pair veered their horses around and pursued the car down the road in Taunton.

The driver is shown to be stopped and one of the officers said to him: “You know you shouldn’t be using your phone.”

The man replied: “No, no music. I have problem.”

The officer said: “But you’re driving and you’re on the phone and I can see there’s a phone call ongoing.”

A reminder of “drivers face 6 points and £200 fine if caught using a phone” was posted alongside the force’s social media post.

Police said the man had been issued with a traffic offence report and would face a £200 fine plus six points on his licence, or he could go to court.

Mounted police have been deployed across the country in an operation to clamp down on those using their phone at the wheel.

This applies to taking photos and videos, scrolling through music playlists, using streaming services, or playing games – closing a legal loophole which previously allowed drivers to escape punishment.

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Last year, then transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “I will do everything in my power to keep road users safe, which is why I am taking a zero-tolerance approach to those who decide to risk lives by using their phone behind the wheel.

“I’m ensuring anyone who chooses to break this vital law can face punishment for doing so and we’ll continue our efforts to ensure our roads remain among the safest in the world.”