A NUCLEAR fuels worker caught "drink driving" the morning after the night before may pay the price with the loss of his job.

Burnley Magistrates heard how maintenance worker Derek Coonan, 53, was almost twice the limit when police claimed he drove through a red traffic light in Burnley on his way to work.

Coonan had played pool for his local team the night before, had six or seven pints and then gone to bed and had no reason to believe he would not be fit to drive, his solicitor told the court.

Coonan, of Hollingreave Road, Burnley, admitted driving with excess alcohol. He was fined £200, with £65 costs, and banned for a year.

Joanne Shahzada, prosecuting, said a police officer stopped the defendant's car and smelled alcohol on his breath.

He was arrested after a positive roadside breath test and the lower of two police station tests showed 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 mililitres of breath - the legal limit is 35.

Dylan Bradshaw, defending, said Coonan had gone to bed at 11pm and got up at 6.15am to drive to Preston to work.

He was due that day to give instruction to new workers and a number of people were let down. His employers were not very impressed.

The defendant could lose his job as he would have to get to Preston for 7.30am each day on public transport, which would not be easy.

Mr Bradshaw said the courts should distinguish between somebody who goes out at night with the intention of drinking and driving and a person who goes out and the following morning genuinely believes they would be free of alcohol.

He added Coonan was not facing any allegation over the traffic light and said the minimum ban of 12 months would be appropriate.