AN AERIAL fitter has lost his driving licence for a second time after a landlord paid him for a job in beer.

Burnley Magistrates heard how James Beech, 32, was given two free pints, but had already had two earlier in the day. He was more than twice the limit when breathtested and his job now hung in the balance.

Beech, who already had a conviction for drink driving in the last 10 years, admitted driving with excess alcohol.

The defendant, of Colne Road, Earby, was banned for three years, fined £100 and told to pay £65 costs.

John Wood, prosecuting, said police saw the defendant pulling out of the Seven Stars pub in Branoldswick. He was going "rather quickly," in a 30 mph zone.

Officers stopped Beech, who smelled of drink and a roadside breath test proved positive. He later gave two samples, the lower of which showed 78 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 mililitres of breath -- the legal limit is 35.

Graeme Tindall, defending, said Beech had had a couple of pints after work and had then gone home.

His girlfriend worked at the Seven Stars and when he got to the pub, the defendant was asked by the landlord to do a job for him. Beech got two pints in payment and forgot about the alcohol he had had earlier.

Mr Tindall said the mandatory three year ban was going to have a devastating effect. His employment involved him being mobile and the loss of his licence would mean his future was uncertain.