A MAN who had been to the pub to watch the Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte fight suffered a knockout blow when police stopped him as he drove home in the early hours.

Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard John Owens gave a roadside reading three times the legal drink drive limit when he was stopped on April 24 while driving his Mercedes-Benz E-Class AMG in Clitheroe Road, Waddington.

Owens, 53, of Three Rivers Caravan Park, Eaves Hall Lane, West Bradford, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

In court on Thursday, May 12, he was fined £1,055, and also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £105 victim surcharge. He was also banned from driving for 23 months.

Stacey Morrow, prosecuting, said police saw two men get into a Mercedes-Benz in Booths supermarket car park in the early hours of the morning.

They followed and described the manner of driving as "erratic", Ms Morrow said.

When he was stopped Owens admitted he had been drinking.

Simon Gretton, in mitigation, said his client lived and worked at the Three Rivers site, where he was sales manager.

He had gone into Clitheroe to watch the fight and had not intended to drive home.

“They struggled to get a taxi and on the spur of the moment he made the foolish decision to drive the short distance home,” said Mr Gretton.

“The police were actually in the car park where he had left his vehicle and he did not get very far.”

Owens had been watching Morecambe's Tyson Fury take on Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium for the World Heavyweight Championship, with Fury winning by technical knockout in the sixth round.