A nursery nurse from Cowling was almost twice over the limit when she chose to drive home after a night out, Skipton Magistrates heard.

Louise Jackson, 21, had been out for the evening and had fallen asleep at a friend’s house before deciding to drive home in the early hours of May 1, the court heard on Friday.

She was seen by police driving towards Cowling, at 4.40am, stopped and provided a positive roadside breath test.

At the police station, she was found to have 65 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Jackson, who admitted drink-driving, would lose her job as a nursery nurse in Carleton, the court heard.

In mitigation, Mohammed Hussain said Jackson had fallen asleep after drinking and when she had woken up, had believed she was perfectly safe to drive.

He said she was very sorry and had been told by her employers that she would not be able to continue with her job. Jackson, of Fold Lane, was banned from driving for 18 months and fined £100.

She was also ordered to pay £80 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

If she completes a drink-drivers rehabilitation course costing £140 by April 14, her ban will be reduced by four and a half months.