BANNED driver Mark Nicholson was hauled before court after being caught driving his "strimmer with wheels" next to a canal.

And the 36-year-old was rapped by magistrates told him to stay clear of any vehicle - even a lawnmower - for four months.

The unemployed aircraft engineer from Accrington was caught riding a go-ped on a pavement.

And Blackburn magistrates heard the offence would still have been committed even if he had stayed on the canal towpath.

Nicholson, who described the motorised scooter as "a strimmer with wheels" pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance. He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and banned for four months.

Daniel King, defending, said his client, of China Street, had initially pleaded not guilty on legal advice.

"I needed convincing that firstly this was a vehicle and secondly the canal towpath can constitute a road, but as you have heard it was also ridden on the pavement," he said.

"A go-ped is a lightweight scooter powered by an small engine of up to 20cc and I am told they can reach the heady speed of 15mph."

He said Nicholson had ridden along the towpath in Blackburn intending to go to the Tesco garage to get some air in his tyres and his machine had become tangled with fishing line.

"As he pulled on to the pavement in Gorse Street he virtually came to a stop," said Mr King.

"He was surprised to be told he was contravening road traffic regulations because he did not have a licence and insurance."

He said the go-ped had been "recovered" by a garage in Oswaldtwistle and the cost of recovery and storage far outweighed the value of the machine.

After the hearing Nicholson said he never imagined he was breaking the law riding the go-ped while he was banned.

"I called it a strimmer on wheels and its hard to believe it is classed as a motor vehicle," said Mr Nicholson.

"It seems that was established a few years ago, but I bet there are a lot more than me who don't know that. You see people on them all the time, especially on the canal, and I bet they don't realise they are breaking the law."