A former judge has pleaded guilty to drink-driving during appearance at Chorley Magistrates' Court.

Bruce Macmillan committed the offence while a sitting judge at Liverpool Crown Court.

Prosecutor Adrian Hollanby said that, when police stopped Mr Macmillan on the M6 last month, a half-full litre bottle of vodka and an empty can of the energy drink Red Bull were found in the passenger footwell of his car.

The 63-year-old was arrested on August 27 after a policeman spotted him driving erratically in his Vauxhall Signum on the motorway near Chorley.

Mr Hollanby said the officer attempted to stop Macmillan by sounding his vehicle's siren but he did not stop until he pulled alongside him.

The policeman asked him if he had drunk alcohol in the last 20 minutes and he denied this, Mr Hollanby said.

A roadside breath test proved positive - and when the ex-judge was tested again at Leyland police station the lower reading was 111 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Stuart Driver QC, defending, said that soon after his client's arrest he went into hospital for treatment by specialists, including seeing a psychiatrist.

Macmillan will be sentenced for the charge of driving with excess alcohol at Chorley Magistrates' Court on November 12.

Magistrates imposed an interim driving ban and he was released on unconditional bail.