A DRUNKEN Bacup man was spotted by police reversing his car 100 yards down the wrong side of the road, a court heard.

But culprit Andrew Woods told police who stopped him that he was only moving his car off double yellow lines.

Woods, 30, of Greave Clough Close, Bacup, appeared in front of Rochdale magistrates, where he admitted drink-driving in George Street, Rochdale. He was found to have 58 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath in his body - the legal limit is 35 in 100.

He was banned from driving for 16 months and fined £170 with £69 court costs to pay.

Lisa Alcock, prosecuting, said police officers watched a BMW reverse 100 yards down the wrong side of the road. The officers pulled up alongside as Woods got out of the vehicle. They smelled intoxicants on his breath and he was arrested.

The court heard that Woods had a previous conviction for being drunk in charge of a motor vehicle but that was some time ago.

Sophie Hansen, defending, said Woods had bought the vehicle for £900 to do it up and sell it on.

On driving the car he found it had gear problems. He decided to park it in a street in Rochdale and went to have a few drinks.

Woods had four or five pints and would have gone home by a different means, but he wanted to make sure the BMW was all right. He noticed it was on double yellow lines and decided to move it. That was when he reversed it backwards and caught the attention of a passing police patrol.