A Darlington man has been banned from the roads for a year for drink-driving.

Gary Puggmurr, 35, of Neasham Road, was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £60 costs, when he appeared at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The court heard Puggmurr was stopped in Skinnergate, Darlington, on June 3 after police saw him driving at speed.

Police then suspected he had been drinking and made him take a breath test. This proved positive and he was arrested and taken to the police station where a blood sample was taken.

This gave a reading of 98 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80.

Puggmurr, who admitted drink-driving, told the court he had had a few pints of lager while playing snooker.

Puggmurr has volunteered to take part in the drink-driving rehabilitation course which, if completed, would lead to his ban being reduced by three months.