A MAN turned to drink after the death of his girlfriend as a result of kidney disease, a court was told.

And Blackburn magistrates heard that Karl Paul Elcombe, 28, admitted to police that he had drunk 12 cans of Stella Artois before going out in his car and crashing into a parked vehicle.

Elcombe, of Shepherd Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and failing to stop after an accident.

He was disqualified from driving for 18 months, fined £100 and ordered to pay £60 costs.

Elcombe, who gave a breath reading of 67 against the legal limit of 35, agreed to be referred to the drink-drive rehabilitation programme.

Wendy Chappell, prosecuting, said that after the collision in Greenway Street at 11.30 pm Elcombe had left the scene.

Police did not trace him until 2am and it was three hours after the incident that he was breathalysed.

Elliott Taylforth, defending, said the incident had served as a "wake up call" for his client.