A MAN has been banned from driving for 16 months after losing control of his wife's Mini while almost twice the drink drive limit.

Mark Foster suffered broken ribs and a lacerated liver after he crashed the car on the A56 near Thornton-in-Craven just before Christmas.

Appearing at Skipton Magistrates Court on Friday, the 47-year-old admitted the drink driving offence.

The court heard at around 10pm on December 1, police arrived at the scene and found the road blocked and extensive damage to the car's front, rear and sides.

No one was in the vehicle at the time but soon afterwards, Foster turned up, said he had been the driver and that he was the sole occupant.

Officers noted he appeared to have been drinking and Foster admitted he had drunk ‘a couple of gin and tonics’.

A road side test proved positive and Foster was taken to hospital.

A blood sample was taken at the hospital which later revealed he had 135 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal driving limit is 80.

In mitigation, Mohammed Hussain said Foster had spent time in hospital following the accident and had only just gone back to work in a warehouse, where he was on light duties.

He understood he would lose his licence and that it would cause him difficulties. It had been a salutory lesson, said Mr Hussain.

Foster, of Dale Street, Earby, was also fined £357.

Magistrates ruled if he completed a drink drivers rehabilitation course, his ban would be reduced by 16 weeks.