A 73 year old man was over the drink drive limit when he drove to a restaurant in High Bentham, heard Skipton Magistrates Court.

Norman Hall said he had drunk three glasses of whisky in the space of half an hour but had felt fine to drive and believed he had a 'high tolerance', the court heard on Friday.

Hall had entered the restaurant in Main Street on November 13 between 5.30pm and 6pm, had attempted, but failed, to be served and had left. He had returned a short while later in a car and staff had seen him get out from the driver's side.

The police were called, and after failing a roadside test was taken to the police station where he was found to have 56 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Hall, who admitted drink driving, lived in remote Bolton-in-Lonsdale and would struggle without a licence, the court heard.

In mitigation, Siobhan White said Hall had drunk three whiskies in about 30 minutes and had believed he had felt fine to drive and that he had a high tolerance to alcohol.

She said he had gone to a curry house there had been a disagreement about the time, staff had refused to serve him and he had been asked to leave.

Hall, of Barnoldswick Lane, Burton, was banned from driving for 16 months. He was also fined £80 with costs of £85 and a surcharge of £34. If he completes a drink driver rehabilitation course, his ban will be reduced by 16 weeks.