TWO men were arrested after one without a driving licence drove the other's car and crashed it into the back of a van on the way home from the pub.

Burnley Magistrates Court heard how Karl Sanders, 20, had never driven before when Marc Duerden, 30, let him drive his vehicle from the Tower bar in Colne.

Sanders, of Keighley Avenue, Colne, admitted driving with excess alcohol, not having a licence, using an uninsured vehicle, failing to stop and not having a test certificate.

He was fined a total of £120 and banned for 12 months.

Duerden, of Walton Street, Colne, pleaded guilty to permitting Sanders to drive without insurance and a licence. He was fined £180, with £55 costs.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, told the court police received a report that a vehicle had crashed into the back of a van and a few minutes later, officers saw the car being driven towards Windy Bank in Colne and stopped in front of it at traffic lights. The car's headlight and indicator were damaged and police found a piece of wood from a fence embedded in the side.

Sanders was driving and provided a breath test. The lower of two tests later showed 48 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath -- the legal limit is 35.

The defendant told police he couldn't drive but Duerden told him what to do. Duerden said he was probably aware Sanders had no driving licence but he had been drunk and not thinking clearly.

Brian Irlam, defending both, said Sanders and Duerden had been out drinking. They had then gone to sit in Duerden's car and were chatting when for some inexplicable reason, it was decided Sanders should drive the short distance home. There was no traffic about but because of his lack of expertise behind the wheel, damage was caused.

The solicitor added both defendants appreciated their actions had been foolhardy. They were particularly contrite, had learned a lesson and their behaviour was something that would not be repeated.