A BANNED driver stopped by police did not give a breath test when asked, a court was told.

Susan Kirk, 45, was pulled over because she had no lights on at 10.20pm. Kirk, who was disqualified seven months earlier for drink-driving, said to officers: "Please I'm begging you, just let me go," Burnley magistrates heard.

Kirk, said to have tried four times to give a test but to have had a panic attack, admitted disqualified driving, no insurance, and failing to provide a specimen, last December 3.

Kirk, of Bridge Street, Haslingden, was given 80 hours community service, with £55 costs, and banned for three years.

Mercedah Jabbari, prosecuting, said when police asked Kirk if she had had alcohol that evening, she claimed she had had a glass of wine at 8pm or 9pm.

As the officer waited for another patrol to bring a breath test, Kirk became increasingly agitated and begged to be let go.

She was taken to the police station, where she failed to give a test, but maintained she was under the limit.

Kirk was banned for 28 months last March after a test showing 105 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

David Chad, defending, said Kirk had not been well, had run out of cough medicine and had gone to Tesco.

She did not believe she was over the limit.

Mr Chad added that Kirk had been very worried about the case, and Christmas had been ruined because of the proceedings hanging over her.