Easter speeding clampdown sees six helicopters armed with cameras watching Spain's roads

The helicopter Pegasus, which is fitted with a radar, has already caught 1,441 speeding drivers in the last year and a second one, Pegasus II is due to be released imminently.

Before Easter weekend is out, a further four Pegasus helicopters will be in the air, flying at an altitude of around 1,000 feet – about 330 metres – and taking detailed photos of cars travelling too fast.

The speed cameras fitted in the Pegasus helicopters are able to take clear snapshots of cars and detect whether or not they are breaking the limit at a distance of a kilometre.

Each craft has two cameras – one panoramic and one detailed and close-up – and drivers who want to avoid being spotted will have to travel at speeds of above 360 kilometres per hour (225mph).

Either that, or stick to the speed limit.

Spain's traffic authority, the DGT, wants to cut road deaths this Easter, a time when an estimated 12 million cars will be on the roads.

The 'official' start to the Easter holiday traffic was Friday, April 11, even though Good Friday is not until a week later.

Already, nine people have been seriously injured in car crashes and 18 have died.

Last year over the two-week Easter period, 26 people lost their lives in crashes, and the DGT is aiming to keep it lower this year.

But with nearly 10 days still to go, this looks unlikely.