A WOMAN who crashed twice in a car park had one of the highest breathalyser readings ever recorded - and was almost five times the limit.

After crashing twice as she tried to park at Darwen market car park, Karen Wilkinson drove to the town's police station, a court heard.

But as an officer came to attend to her she slumped onto the floor and passed out, the court was told.

Wilkinson was taken to hospital and it was only later police realised she had been the driver responsible for the collision on the car park.

And Blackburn magistrates were told that the first breathalyser reading she gave, nearly two hours after incident on the last Saturday in November, was 157 against the legal limit of 35.

Wilkinson, 43, of Thompson Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

She was made subject to community supervision for 18 months, banned for three years and ordered to pay £60 costs.

After the case, a man answering the door at Wilkinson's home and who said he was her husband, said: "It's embarrassing - she was stupid.

"It's affecting us all a lot."

And Sheila Rainger, head of campaigns at the RAC Foundation said: "Being five times over the limit is very, very high and very rare.

"It is astonishingly dangerous not only for the driver but to other motorists and pedestrians.

"To attempt to drive after that much alcohol is criminally irresponsible."

Inspector Mark Thackeray-Scott said: "The figure 157 in her blow-reading is really high.

"You can't say how drunk she would have been, it depends on a person's tolerance, but clearly she was not safe to drive."

Kathy Allan, prosecuting, said a witness saw Wilkinson reverse a Land Rover Discovery into a Suzuki.

He spoke to the female driver who appeared nervous and then reversed into the other vehicle.

The witness went to speak to two police officers he had seen but when they returned Wilkinson had gone.

Very soon after she parked outside Darwen police station and when an officer came to attend to her she was resting her head against the glass screen.

"She then slumped onto the floor and passed out," said Miss Allan.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said his client had little recollection of the incident.

"She says she had been drinking heavily the night before but she doesn't recollect having a drink on the day of the incident," said Mr Taylor.

He said Wilkinson had held a driving licence for 20 years and had never been in trouble with the police before.

She had developed a drink problem following marital problems and tended to binge drink.