A DEPRESSED and 'drunk' ex-servicewoman, who wrote off her car early on New Year's Day wanted to harm herself by plunging over a wall, a court heard.

Paris Howarth, 24, claimed someone else had been at the wheel and the police helicopter was scrambled to search the area for the non-existent person, Burnley magistrates were told.

The hearing was told Howarth, who lost her job as a community support worker for Housing 21 as a result of the crash, became obstructive to police. She was found to be two-and-a-half times the drink drive limit.

Howarth, of Ribble Avenue, Burnley, admitted driving her Ford Fiesta with excess alcohol on Gisburn Road, Blacko.

She was banned from driving for 22 months and fined £110, with £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Don Black, prosecuting, said at about 6.05am, the defendant left the road t, crashed through a fence and ended up in a farm field.

He said the defendant said she had been at her boyfriend’s Burnley home, they had not been getting on and she left.

He said: “She said she intentionally drove off the road with a view to doing herself harm.

Nick Cassidy, for Howarth, said she was ashamed.