A MAN who couldn't find anywhere to park his car was stopped by police while twice over the drink drive limit.

Christopher Kelly, 29, of Dormington, Hereford, was described as driving his BMW 'erratically' with a flat tyre in Bath Street on August 8.

He pleaded guilty to drink driving at Hereford Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Timothy Talbot-Webb, mitigating, said that police were called at 11.20pm to reports of an 'erratic' driver who had been reversing up a dead-end road.

"The officer looking for the defendant before realising that Kelly was behind him so forced him to stop," said Mr Talbot-Webb.

Kelly failed the drink driving breathalyser test after blowing 94 microgrammes in 100 millilitres of breath, above the 35 limit.

Mr Talbot-Webb added: "There was some damage to Kelly's vehicle and a flat tyre on it. The defendant accepted that he had gone out for a drink and planned to get a taxi home.

"He then decided to move his car and clipped a kerb which burst his tyre but he kept on going."

Chris Read, mitigating, said that on the day in question Kelly and his partner had some 'very troubling' news.

"The situation meant that they faced a very difficult choice and the defendant wanted some time to think," said Mr Read.

"He decided to leave the area and drive into town on his own. He found himself in a pub on Whitecross Road where he drank a couple of pints.

"He had every intention of getting a taxi home but noticed where he had parked was blocking somebody's driveway so he decided to move it.

"The problem in Whitecross is it's chock-a-block with cars and parking spaces are very difficult to find. It was his intention to park when he found somewhere.

"He had to reverse to get out of the road and the damage was caused while looking for somewhere to park.

Mr Read added that the driving ban would have a 'major impact' on Kelly and his partner due to the rural location of their home.

Kelly was disqualified from driving for 24 months which could be reduced by six months on completion of a drink drive rehabilitation course.

He was also ordered to pay a £600 fine, £60 victim surcharge and £135 costs.