A PRESTWICH engineer who appeared to drive erratically after pulling out in front of a police car was found to have more than twice the legal level of alcohol in his system, a court heard.

Stephen Kennedy (44) told magistrates in Bury he had been amazed to find he was over the limit and felt competent to drive.

Kennedy, of Grange Hill Road, admitted a charge of drink-driving on the Tesco car park at Prestwich and was banned from driving for 20 months and fined £360 with £40 court costs.

He told the magistrates: 'I simply was not aware I was over the limit. It's not a mistake I would normally make. I can only think it is because I had no dinner or tea that day."

Mr Donald Fletcher, prosecuting, said police were concerned about the way Kennedy pulled in front of them in Bury New Road. They stopped him and tested him where he was found to have 76 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, compared with the legal limit of 35mg in 100ml.

Kennedy, who had no previous convictions, said he was always careful of drink-driving because his job relied on his licence. He was not aware of pulling in front of a police car.