A GISBURN farrier, stopped as he drove home in the early hours, was found to be nearly four times the legal drink-drive limit.

Karl Andrew Antal, 26, of Church View, pleaded guilty at Blackburn magistrates court to driving with excess alcohol. He was made subject to a community rehabilitation order for 12 months, banned from driving for three years and ordered to pay £60 costs.

Antal, who gave a reading of 136 against the legal limit of 35, agreed to be referred to the drink drive rehabilitation programme which, if completed successfully will reduce his ban by up to 25 per cent.

The case had previously been adjourned for pre-sentence reports with all options including custody open to the sentencing bench.

"He has been very worried," Basharat Ditta, defending, said. "In my role as a defence solicitor I occasionally meet people who I instinctively know I will not see in court again. This man is one of those."