POLICE were called by staff at a depot who suspected a delivery driver turned up at 6am under the influence of drink or drugs.

Blackburn magistrates heard David Thomas Foxcroft, who was due to drive his van to London, was found to be over the drink drive limit.

Foxcroft, 41, of Blackburn Road, Accrington, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. He was fined £130 with £85 costs and £30 victim surcharge and banned from driving for three years.

Tracy Yates, prosecuting, said staff loading the van at the Clayton-le-Moors unit were concerned about the driver and called the police.

Foxcroft told police he had stopped drinking at 9pm the previous night. He admitted he had driven to the premises from his home address.

Foxcroft told the court he had been to a friend's 60th birthday party the night before.

"Instead of having it on a weekend he had it on a Tuesday night," he said. "I thought I would have had enough sleep but obviously I didn't."