A PUB worker found near to his crashed car in the early hours of the morning initially denied being the driver.

Blackburn magistrates heard Lee Heckingbottom claimed he had heard a noise outside his home and looked out to see his car had gone.

But after failing a breathalyser he admitted to police he had been behind the wheel when his car collided with street furniture before hitting a garden wall.

Heckingbottom, 37, of Amberwood Drive, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol on Livesey Branch Road. He was fined £120 with £85 costs and £32 victim surcharge and banned from driving for 12 months.

Philippa White, prosecuting, said when police arrived on the scene they saw damage to a bollard and a street light on an island and a Honda on the pavement which had hit a garden wall.

When he was interviewed at the police station Heckingbottom said he had been working at the Millstone in Darwen and had a pint at the beginning of the night and one at the end.

Richard Prew, defending, said the pretence was not kept up for long and his client quickly made a full admission to the offence.

"As he said he had only had two pints over a period of time and he didn't think he was over the limit," said Mr Prew.