A mother of three was found to be drink driving with her children in the car, six weeks after passing her test, a court has heard.

Jamie-Lee Thompson, 27, blew a reading of 84 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath when she was pulled over by police, more than two times the legal limit of 35mcg.

Burnley Magistrates Court heard how on December 17, Thompson, of Eastern Avenue, Burnley, had been ill and was at a children’s party earlier in the day where she had three drinks and did not eat.

She tried to book a taxi but was unable to, and was told she would be okay to drive so she took the car with her three children.

Officers noticed her Ford Fiesta in Todmorden Road, Burnley, driving without any headlights on and she was pulled over nearby in Lyndhurst Road.

Police could smell alcohol on her breath and asked her to take a breathalyser test, and she was arrested on suspicion of drink driving when the reading came back positive.

Care was organised for her children and Thompson was taken into custody where she took further tests, with the lowest reading being 84mcg.

The court was also told it was just six weeks before the incident she had passed her driving test.

Thompson, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle with an alcohol level above the legal limit.

She was fined £120 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £48.

She has also been disqualified from driving for 20 months.

Thompson has agreed to complete a drink driving course which, if completed successfully, would reduce the ban by 20 weeks.