A WOMAN who had crashed her car down an embankment and come to rest near the canal was found by police sitting in the driving seat drinking from a can of lager.

Blackburn magistrates heard Abigail Newton gave a roadside breathalyser reading over four times the legal limit but refused to provide a sample at the police station.

Newton, 30, of Wordsworth Close, Oswaldtwistle, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis. She was made subject to a community order for 18 months with 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days, fined £50 with £85 costs and £95 victim surcharge and banned from driving for 28 months.

Gareth Hughes, prosecuting, said two witnesses walking along St James Road in Church were approached by a female asking for help. A car had gone down an embankment and come to rest near the canal.

Mr Hughes said at the police station Newton had refused to provide a sample.

The court was told Newton's father, Stuart, 65, had been murdered in February 2020 and she was due to give evidence in the trial in April.

"It has been an awful year for her culminating in this incident," said Richard Prew. defending. "Just when she thought things couldn't get any worse she had a drink and got in her car."

Mr Prew said the trial of the man accused of the murder of his client's father was due to start in April and she was due to give evidence.

"Perhaps that can be the end of this particular chapter in her life and the start of a new one," said Mr Prew.

A man has been charged with murder following the death of 65-year-old Stuart Newton.

Mr Newton was found with serious head injuries inside a flat in Worsley Court, Oswaldtwistle, last February but lost his fight for life at Royal Preston Hospital.

Nathan Scott Williams, 30, of Mount Pleasant Road, Oswaldtwistle, was charged with his murder.