A BUS driver found to be nearly three times over the drink-drive limit has been jailed for four months.

Magistrates told David Thompson, 55, that there was no alternative but to send him to prison as he had made a very bad judgment and put lives at risk.

Thompson admitted the drink- driving offence before Hyndburn magistrates last month and returned before the bench in Accrington for sentencing.

Neil White, prosecuting, told the court that Thompson, of Princess Street, Colne, was arrested after a passenger who suspected he may have been drinking and driving rang the bus company, which then alerted police.

Officers carried out a roadside breath test in Bridge Street, Accrington, which was positive and took him to the police station where a further test showed him to have an alcohol reading of 91, when the legal limit is 35. Gillian Lloyd, defending, told magistrates that Thompson's actions were completely out of character and were the result of circumstances which had caused him to suffer a great deal of stress and upset.

She said Thompson believed at the point of the incident he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. His mother had died suddenly at the end of December and this was quickly followed by the death of a work colleague and a close friend who were both close in age to Mr Thompson.

Thompson had finished his shift the previous night at 11.45pm and stayed up drinking wine and vodka which she described as "a large quantity of alcohol". Mrs Lloyd added: "There is no doubt that Mr Thompson gravely regrets his actions and has been horrified by them."

She said he had suffered acute embarrassment as well as losing his employment with Burnley and Pendle Travel and his good reputation and felt he had already been punished a great deal for his actions.

Presiding magistrate Allan Roberts said: "Clearly you were putting people's lives at risk. I understand that you were emotionally stressed but you made a very bad judgement and should not have driven.

"The fact that someone else was not killed or injured was fortunate for you. I do this with the greatest reluctance but feel we have no alternative."

Thompson was also disqualified from driving for four years but told this could be reduced if he undertook a drink-driving rehabilitation course.