A DRUNKEN motorist crashed his car, pushed a rescuer to one side and then went back on the motorway leaving a trail of smoke behind him.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Neil Shepherd, 28, lost control after hitting the barrier when he went round the roundabout at junction 12 of the M65 in the early hours. He was pulled from the wreckage by business manager Brian Nutter -- but then staggered back to the battered vehicle and set off again -- with no lights and deflated tyres.

Shepherd hung his head in the dock as the court heard how he had paid the price with his job and the loss of his good character - but a judge said she was not going to send him to prison as that would not do him or the public any good.

Judge Barbara Watson said nobody had been injured or killed and that had tipped the balance in his favour, despite his "disgraceful" behaviour.

Shepherd, of Gisburn Road, Blacko, earlier admitted dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol. He was given a 200 hour community punishment order and banned from driving for five years. Richard Orme, prosecuting, said last December, Mr Nutter saw the defendant's vehicleand seeing smoke come from the car thought it was going to explode and quickly dragged Shepherd out of it.

The defendant, who had been slumped over the driver's seat was told to stay where he was while Mr Nutter alerted the police.

But Shepherd climbed over the barrier, staggered towards his crashed vehicle and got back in and drove onto the motorway.

A woman spotted Shepherd's vehicle coming from the by-pass and saw it driven into a dead-end road before it was abandoned.

Shepherd tried to climb over railings, staggered along the pavement and was detained by police.

Shepherd, who was later found to be three and a half times the legal limit, had no previous convictions. Anthony Cross, defending, said Shepherd was genuinely remorseful. He did not have a drink problem. He was very ashamed of what he had done. Before the offences, he had been in well-paid work but had given in his notice after pleading guilty, as he needed his driving licence.

Shepherd had managed to get another job, but not as a professional man, and would be facing a loss of income of about £15,000 per annum.

Mr Cross said the defendant's employers had spoken in glowing terms about him and it was a tragedy to see somebody like him in the dock.

He appreciated he may lose his liberty and the experience had been a salutary lesson.