A SECOND hand furniture dealer who faced "financial ruin" if he lost his driving licence can stay on the road.

Burnley magistrates told former fireman and father-of-three Thomas Cunningham they accepted he would suffer exceptional hardship if he was banned.

Cunningham, 45, had told the court he would lose his business and home if he was disqualified and the bench said they did not want his family to face the upheaval of moving while the children were at critical stages in their education.

The defendant, of Brunshaw Road, Burnley, was fined £70, with £35 costs and his licence endorsed with eight points after earlier admitting using an uninsured motor vehicle.

Cunningham told the court he was self-employed, worked 15-hour days and had business debts to the tune of thousands of pounds .

He said if he lost his licence he faced "total financial ruin" and went on: "I realise how stupid I have been. I have put myself and my family in a terrible situation."