SHOCKING footage shows a tea-sipping trucker taking two hands off his steering wheel on a motorway before being nicked by undercover cops.

The road user made the risky manoeuvre on the M6 in Cheshire - unaware that he was being filmed by police officers in an unmarked HGV.

The video reveals how the dozy driver originally clasped his brew in his right hand while gripping his steering wheel with the other.

But as the police pulled up beside his window, he swapped the mug between his hands, leaving his wheel completely unattended.

A furious police officer who spotted the motorist's dangerous actions could be heard yelling over the clip: “You might want to put your cup of tea down!”

He was later fined £100 fine and given three points on his license for not being in proper control of his vehicle, a spokesperson for National Highways said.

The truck driver was picked up last summer as part of a multi-agency initiative to make motorways safer, called Operation Tramline.

Throughout October, six forces from the North West will be using unmarked HGV to track down rogue motorists on the M62 as part of Operation Pennine.

Lisa Scott, National Highways’ Regional Safety Programme Manager for the North West, said motorists were risking others' lives through their dangerous actions.

She said: “Hundreds of thousands of drivers use our roads every day and the vast majority are sensible behind the wheel.

“However, some drivers are putting themselves and others at risk through using mobile phones, driving without a seatbelt or even handling a boiling hot drink at the wheel.”

Sergeant Matt Picton, from the North West Commercial Vehicle unit, added: ““We are committed to making all roads safer and we will continue to enforce road traffic legislation daily and target those who risk the most harm to the public who just want to go about their daily business without fear of injury or death.  

“Far too many people are seriously injured or killed on Britain's roads and we will continue our work to reduce that number.”