A 42-YEAR-OLD man ended up fighting with his 18-year-old son after catching him and some friends taking cocaine in the toilets of a Whalley pub.

Blackburn magistrates heard the altercation attracted the attention of the police who ended up charging Clive Alan Bates with drink driving and possession of cocaine.

Bates, 42, of Gloucester Avenue, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and possession of the drug. He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 60 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £85 costs and £85 victim surcharge. He was banned from driving for three years.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said after the altercation between Bates and his son officers saw the older man in his car. He tried to reverse away but a policeman reached in and removed the ignition keys.

The court was told in a verbal report by a probation service that Bates had been out with his son celebrating his 18th birthday. At some stage the son went to the toilets and when he was what seemed a long time Bates went to see what was delaying him.

In the toilets he saw his son and a group of other young men.He took a packet of white powder off them. The incident caused bad feeling between father and son and they came to blows outside.

The probation officer said Bates put the white powder in his pocket but now realised he should have flushed it down the toilet.

David Miller, defending, said Bates was living in Stonyhurst, Clitheroe, at the time of the offence but had since split from his partner and moved to live with his brother in Blackpool. He had already been told by his employer that his job as a scaffolder was no longer open to him.

"The cocaine was not his but he accepts it was in his possession," said Mr Miller. "He does not take drugs but I am instructed not to take that any further."