A DRINK-driver crashed into an alcohol recovery centre in Burnnley, and then drove off leaving his bumper embedded in the front of the premises.

Nathan Andrews’ Toyota Celica was found crashed, in Queen’s Lancashire Way, after he demolished the front of the Retreat and Recover Centre, in Hamm-erton Street, the town’s magis-trates court was told.

Defence solicitor Dylan Bradshaw said his client had been suffering from ‘significant mental health problems’ before the smash, on January 26.

Andrews, 35, of Westwood Road, Burnley, admitted driving with excess alcohol, and failing to stop after an accident.

He was remanded on bail for pre-sentence reports until March 6.

He was made subject to an interim driving ban, and was warned he could face jail if he flouts the ban before the next hearing.

Andrew Robinson, prosecuting, said a police officer was flagged down by a member of the pub-lic at around 5.40pm on Jan-uary 26, and taken to the Ret- reat and Recover Centre, at the junction with Hargreaves Street.

Three plate glass windows had been smashed, and a boll-ard in front of the building and the window frame itself had been bent.

The Celica’s bumper had been left inside the shop, and Andr-ews was detained in his vehicle nearby and taken to Burnley Pol- ice Station. He gave a reading of 92mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, on a breathlyser. The legal limit is 35.

Mr Bradshaw said that, unus-ually, the failing to stop offence would be considered the most serious because of the damage incurred.

He told the court that a ‘series of tragedies’ had befallen his client in the run-up to the inc-ident, which might explain his behaviour.