St Annes great-gran was caught driving over the limit

Janet Lonsdale was pulled up by a police patrol after a tip-off her car had been swerving about the road.

Her plight was blamed on home measures of brandy given to her at the home of a friend after a fish and chip supper.

Lonsdale, 74, of Mellings Wood, St Annes, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

She was banned from the road for 12 months, fined £170 with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £150 court charge with £20 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Eddie Harrison, prosecuting, said police on mobile patrol in St Annes received information a Kia Picanto had been seen swerving around the road on May 1 at 11.40pm.

Officers saw the car reversing on Mellings Wood into a cul-de-sac and they stopped the vehicle by illuminating their patrol car’s blue lights.

A breath test showed 75 micrograms of alcohol in Lonsdale’s body – 35 is the limit.

Philip Trotter, defending, said his client had no previous convictions and it was sad for a woman like her to appear in court for the first time.

The evening of the offence she had gone to the home of a friend for dinner. The friend wanted to chat and poured Lonsdale two measures of brandy. At a later date the friend accepted that the drinks had been strong.