A MAN who admitted he had drunk 15 pints of beer before crashing into a bus stop in Clitheroe town centre believed he could have been driving in his sleep.

Blackburn magistrates heard that a breathalyser showed James Russell Sanderson to be four times over the legal drink drive limit at the time of the collision in the early hours of Sunday.

But defence solicitor Basharat Ditta said Sanderson had no recollection of the sequence of events which happened several hours after he had gone to bed.

Sanderson, 33, of the Starkie Arms, Castle Street, Clitheroe, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. He was remanded on bail until April 19.

Sanderson, who gave a reading of 139 against the legal limit of 35 was banned immediately. He was still in the driver's seat, when police attended.

He was not fit to be interviewed until the following day when he admitted drinking 15 pints and said he had probably fallen asleep.

Mr Ditta said Sanderson is a hard-working man whose only time for recreation is Saturday night. He agreed he had drunk 15 pints before going to bed .

"He cannot remember the sequence of events," said Mr Ditta. "He knows he had gone to his mother's earlier and arranged for a takeaway meal to be left there.

"He feels he may have got into the car with the intention of driving to his mother's to get the food he had ordered earlier.

"I have asked if he has a problem with drink but he says 15 pints on a Saturday is normal for him," added Mr Ditta.