Staff and members of the public reported a driver who appeared to be intoxicated as he went through a McDonald's drive-thru.

Blackburn magistrates heard Owen Kieran Brown's car was seen hitting the kerb and being driven erratically.

When police saw the vehicle on the A671 near Whalley they described it as swerving all over the road.

Brown, 28, of Manorfields, Whalley, pleaded guilty to driving while over the limit for ketamine and diazepam. He was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison suspended for two years with a drug rehabilitation requirement. He was ordered to pay a £154 victim surcharge and £85 costs and banned for five years.

The chairman of the magistrates said Brown should consider it to be his final chance to change his ways.

“If there is any further offending in the next two years the bench’s first duty will be to send you to prison,” she said. “I hope this will lead to you taking control of your life and not putting yourself and the rest of us who use the public roads in danger.”

Bilal Saeed, prosecuting, said Brown had previous convictions for excess alcohol in 2014, driving while unfit through drink in 2017, disqualified driving in 2019 and two offences of drug driving in October which resulted in a four-year ban.

Terry Walsh, defending, said the offences his client was facing were committed two weeks before he was sentenced in October.

“He knows there is no excuse for his behaviour and he is fully aware of the possible consequences,” said Mr Walsh.

“He has his own groundworks business and is actively trying to move away from his dependency on drugs.”