A MOTORIST who sped off when police tried to stop him switched off his lights and drove the wrong way down a one way streets and through a give way junction at 40mph in an attempt to escape.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Wasi Ahmed Khan was eventually arrested after he turned his car into a dead end street near Darwen town centre.

Khan, 52, of Bolton Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol. He was made subject to a community rehabilitation order for two years, with a condition that he attends the Alcohol and Substance Related Offending course, disqualified from driving for three years, with a condition that he takes and extended re-test, and ordered to pay £80 costs.

Khan, who gave a reading of 74 against the legal limit of 35, agreed to be referred to the drink driver rehabilitation programme which, if completed successfully, will reduce his ban by up to 25 per cent.

Paul Schofield, defending, said the incident took place in the early hours of the morning when there was no other traffic about.