A MOTHER has clocked up her third conviction for drink driving.

Burnley magistrates heard Abigayle Whitham, 26, had driven her vehicle away from a garage where it was being repaired and smashed into a house and garden.

At first she claimed someone else had been driving, but then owned up.

Whitham, said to be suffering from depression, had already been subject to a three-year ban at the time. She has now been given a further three-year disqualification.

Whitham, of Joseph Street, Barrowford, admitted drink driving, driving whilst disqualified and no insurance. She was given an 18-month community order with supervision and must attend the drink impaired drivers' programme.

Mercedah Jabbari, prosecuting, told the court police spotted a vehicle crashed into a garden in Fence at 1.30am on November 21. They saw the defendant with others nearby, she was the registrered owner of the car, but claimed she had been a passenger.

Whitham gave a positive roadside breath test and at the police station gave a reading of 78 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 mililitres of breath - the legal limit is 35. She was questioned and claimed she had let a male friend drive her vehicle and when it crashed they had all run from the scene.

She later contacted her solicitor and when questioned again said she and three friends had been at home, had gone for a walk, she saw her car outside the garage and a friend suggested she drive it. Whitham claimed she realised her actions had not been sensible and was turning round when she lost control and hit the house and garden.

John Nuttall, defending, said Whitham had been at home and had had no intention to drive. She was extemely sorry for the offence. Her father had arranged for the vehicle to be repaired to be sold but the defendant still had her key.

Before the incident she had been diagnosed with depression, was on anti-depressants and was seeing a counsellor. The solicitor went on :"She understands perhaps she needs some help. "