A SINGLE parent fell foul of the drink-driving laws on a rare night out with friends.

Blackburn magistrates heard the Christopher Burrows, a father of three, had three weekends a year when his ex-wife travelled from her home in Tenby and took the children to a hotel.

And on his first night of "freedom" Burrows lost patience when a taxi failed to turn up and made the "foolish" decision to drive the short distance home.

Burrows, 45, of Bonsall Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. He was disqualified from driving for 18 months and fined £100 with £65 costs.

Burrows, who gave a reading of 87 against the legal limit of 35, agreed to be referred to the drink-driver rehabilitation programme which, if completed successfully, would reduce his ban by up to 25 per cent. The court heard tha tpolice saw Burrows driving off a pub car park at 11.45 pm.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said that apart from his wife's rare visits to see the children Burrows looked after his children with little assistance from family and friends.

"This was one of those rare opportunities to go out with his friends and at the end of the evening they ordered a taxi home," said Mr Taylor. "They waited a long time but in the end he gave up on the taxi and decided to drive home. He took a very stupid risk and he accepts that."