A taxi driver has lost his licence - and his job - after being caught drink-driving while taking children to a special school.

Derek Orchin was stopped by police during Operation Coachman, a swoop on taxis across County Durham aimed at spotting faulty or dangerous vehicles.

The 49-year-old cabby had been driving two children from their home in Durham to Whitworth School in Spennymoor when he was stopped by police on the morning of Wednesday, April 24.

An initial roadside breath test proved negative, but a second test showed a reading of 45 microgrammes of alcohol. The legal limit is 35.

Orchin, of Seven Acres, in Great Lumley near Chester-le-Street, appeared before Sedgefield magistrates in Newton Aycliffe today, where he admitted a charge of drink-driving.

His solicitor, Gwen Burnett, said Orchin had drank six cans of beer the previous evening and had no idea he would be over the limit.

She said: "It's an unfortunate set of circumstances and he's suffered greatly from the realisation that he was over the limit. The is a situation we've referred to in the past as the morning after the night before."

She added: "He thought he was perfectly capable of driving at 9.30 in the morning. He felt no ill effects of alcohol and was absolutely shocked when he was asked to take a breath test."

Orchin, who apologised to magistrates, was disqualified from driving for a year, which will be reduced to nine months if he completes a rehabilitation course, and fined £200, plus £55 costs.

After the case Orchin, who has been a taxi driver for 20 years, said: "I feel hard done by. It happened at 9.30 in the morning, after I'd had six cans of beer the night before.

"I was transporting kids to school and if I'd realised I wouldn't even have opened the door. The kids weren't in any danger at all.

Orchin, who has lost his job with Chester-le-Street firm Lumley Taxis, added: "It was instant dismissal, my car was taken off me immediately. I feel quite bitter about the whole thing.

"I regret what's happened because basically it's my fault, but I wouldn't have driven the kids if I felt that I was over the limit."