Chesterfield magistrates were told last Wednesday that police on patrol at 5.15pm on 14th May spotted a Volvo S40 being driven erratically.

Prosecutor Sarah Haslam said the car, which had a defective brake light, was travelling very slowly and veered across the central white hazard lines.

Officers followed it to the driveway of Marilyn Haywood's home, where she failed a breath test and was arrested.

She appeared drunk and incoherent and, after initially refusing to give a sample, went on to supply a reading of 111mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath, the limit being 35mcgs.

Haywood (46), of Iron Cliff Road, admitted drink-driving and had no previous convictions. An interim road ban was imposed and sentence was adjourned for probation service reports.

In mitigation, Julian Hammond said: "It's unusual. She took the car to a local shop and the driving distance was only 250 yards each way.

"It perhaps took longer to take the car out than to walk. It was a foolish thing to do and she very much regrets it."

Mr Hammond said Haywood had suffered a number of problems in recent years.