A TRAGIC chain of personal disasters turned reformed alcoholic Shelley Margaret Tierney to drink.

But her first lapse in 12 years led to even more trauma when she was stopped and breathalysed just moments after driving off a pub car park.

Tierney, 40, of Manxman Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol, without insurance and without test certificate.

She was fined a total of £380 with £35 costs and disqualified from driving for 18 months.

She had almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in her breath.

Bashrat Ditta, defending, said Tierney's stepson had died in March and the day after the inquest her daughter gave birth.

"Everything was going wrong and she was having to look after her family without financial support," said Mr Ditta. He said the family was owed some money and, in desperation, Tierney called in the debt.

The people told her they were in a pub and if she came they would give her the money.

"Foolishly, she borrowed a friend's car and went to the pub and, even more foolishly, she accepted a drink from her friends."

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