A 34-year-old man anxious to avoid breaching his bail conditions drove away from a pub where he thought his former girlfriend might be heading, a court heard.

But Stephen Alan Waddicor drove out of the frying pan and into the fire when he crashed into a bus.

He was breathalysed and gave a reading of 124, against the legal limit of 35.

Waddicor, of Olive Lane, Darwen, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and driving without due care. He was ordered to do 70 hours community punishment, made subject to a community rehabilitation order for 18 months and disqualified from driving for 30 months.

Roger Pickles, defending, said Waddicor was subject to bail conditions following an incident involving his girlfriend and a condition was that he should not approach her. He had gone to the pub on a Saturday afternoon watching football and his girlfriend had phoned him.

Mr Pickles said there was a row over the phone and Waddicor was concerned that she might come looking for him.

"He panicked and drove away when he had clearly had too much to drink," said Mr Pickles.