A PENSIONER who smoked a pipe offered by a friend to ease the pain of his damaged shoulder claims he didn't realise he was smoking cocaine.

Blackburn magistrates heard Thomas Kelly was stopped as he drove away from his therapy session and failed a drugs test.

Kelly, 68, of St Aidans Avenue, Mill Hill, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving while over the limit for cocaine and its derivative, benzoylecgonine.

He was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £190 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

The court heard Kelly was stopped after police noticed his car being driven erratically.

Aftab Bakhat, defending, said three years ago Kelly had been working as a site manager in the construction industry when he fell off a roof damaging his shoulder.

"He had to give up work and as a result suffered acute depression as well as the physical problems of his injury for which he is waiting for an operation," said Mr Bakhat.

"On this day he was disclosing his problems to a friend who offered him a smoke of his pipe which he said would help him.

"It didn't have any effect on his pain but he accepts he was foolish to get behind the wheel of his car," added Mr Bakhat.

Imposing sentence the chairman of the magistrates said drug-driving was very dangerous.

"If you are going to smoke a pipe you should know what is in it," he added.