A DRUNKEN mechanic took a bus from his works depot and set off on a late night jaunt around Burnley town centre -- driving in the wrong direction down one way streets.

The town's magistrates heard how Steven Richard Chadwick, 24, nearly hit several people coming out of a pub, shunted a parked car into another -- writing one off -- and damaged the single-decker .The defendant, thre times the drink drive limit, could remember nothing and was unable to explain what he had done.

Chadwick, of Ullswater Road, Pike Hill, who worked at a depot in Plumbe Street, Burnley, kept his freedom and his job after admitting aggravated vehicle taking, driving with excess alcohol, no insurance and no licence, on December 15. He was given 200 hours community service, banned from driving for three years and must pay £2,147.13 compensation.

Today a spokesman for Border Buses, based in Bancroft Road and with a depot in Plumbe Street, Burnley, said: "We do not make comments about our employees."

In court Maisie Burke, prosecuting, said police saw the bus being driven in the wrong direction on Manchester Road at about 11.30pm. The defendant then went down Bull Street the wrong way, narrowly missing hitting several pedestrians, hit a car at the road junction, pushed it into another vehicle and damaged both.

At that stage, officers set off in pursuit. Chadwick stopped at some traffic lights and ran off but was tackled by one officer. He was handcuffed as he struggled violently.

When told he was under arrest, he replied: "OK boss." A breath test showed 114 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 mililitres of breath -- the legal limit is 35. When Chadwick was interviewed the next day he accepted he had been drunk

Dermot Woodhead, defending, said custody would create financial difficulties for Chadwick, his relationship with his girlfriend may end and he could lose his home. He could offer no explanantion for the offences and could not say how, let alone why, it happened. All he could do was apologise for his conduct.

Chadwick had worked as a diesel mechanic for several years and had gone out after work to a pub opposite the depot where he worked on Plumbe Street. He had had a couple of pints, gone home and as his girlfriend was going out to her works Christmas party, he went back into town and met friends.

They left about 10pm and he could recollect nothing after that until he woke up in the police cell the next morning. For some reason he had gone to the depot, for which had keys as part of his job and took the bus. He did not know where he was going as he had been going in the opposite direction to where he lived. The defendant had not sought to blame anybody else for what happened and had to accept the evidence of the prosecution witnesses

Mr Woodhead added Chadwick had been training for his PSV licence. The directors of the company he worked for ,whilst not condoning his conduct, which had put them to considerable expense, were standing by him and his job was still open to him. He was very highly thought of and they considered the incident isolated and inexplicable.

He added the defendant, who had a previous conviction for drink driving, had learned a painful and salutory lesson and had let his employers down.