A WOMAN was almost four times the drink-drive limit when she crashed in a ditch late at night, a court was told.

Burnley Magistrates heard that Tracey Anne Doult, 39, director of a Burnley transport firm, had her young son with her as she drove home from the pub around 11pm. She was said to be unco-operative when police turned up at her home and "argumentative" at the police station.

The defendant, of Beverley Road, Blacko, admitted driving with excess alcohol. She was fined £500, ordered to pay £55 costs and banned for two and a half years.She had no previous convictions.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said police called to Beverley Road found a vehicle in a ditch. They went to a nearby house and the defendant came to the door. She said she had driven the vehicle from the Sun Inn, was drunk and had not hurt anybody.

She was arrested after a positive breath test. The defendant was concerned about leaving her son but refused to give details of anyone who might look after him.

Doult was taken to the police station, where a test showed 123 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Dermot Woodhead, defending, said Doult, her partner and son had gone to the pub for tea and her partner was going to drive back.

She had quite a lot to drink because she wasn't intending to drive but then her partner said he was going into Burnley with friends. He gave her the car keys and left. The defendant was offered a lift home.

The lift driver stayed longer than she intended and when it got to 10.30pm, the defendant tried to get a taxi. She was told she would have to wait an hour so decided to drive the short distance home.

She had spent considerable time in the police cells. Mr Woodhead went on: "Considerable punishment has already been imposed on her by the loss of her good name and reputation."