A PENSIONER who crashed into parked cars as he went to collect his dog from kennels failed a breathalyser at 9.30am.

Blackburn magistrates heard Francis Broughton had been drinking the night before after he and his wife and some friends had gone on a bat walk.

Broughton, 69, of Manor Road, Darwen, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. He was banned from driving for 17 months and fined £170 with £85 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

Tracy Yates, prosecuting, said Broughton was driving an Audi A6 when he collided with a parked car in Cemetery Road. That car was shunted into a house wall and a parked Mercedes, with a passenger in, was also struck.

The Audi spun through 180 degrees and ended up facing in the opposite direction to which it had been travelling.

When he was interviewed Brought said he had been adjusting his glasses and dropped them and the collision happened when he was picking them up.

Robin Phoenix, defending, said his client had a clean driving record apart from a couple of speeding tickets 15 years ago.

"For someone who as a sales manager regularly drove over 40,000 miles a year that is a positive record," said Mr Phoenix. "This was a mistake and he holds his hands up and accepts his responsibility."

He said Broughton had returned from holiday the day before and he and his wife had a few drinks with friends after that.

"The following morning when he set off the collect the dog from the kennels he didn't think about the drink the night before," said Mr Phoenix.