A DRUNKEN man who twice tried to mow down a man after a takeaway fall-out has been jailed for four months.

Burnley Crown Court heard how banned Adrian Limb, 28, had helped himself to his stepfather's car in the early hours and then had an altercation with Tanvir Shah at the Rawtenstall town centre shop.

He reversed the vehicle and then drove forward, twice almost hitting Mr Shah and also others before smashing into a bridge parapet.

He was taken to hospital and could not be breath-tested for six hours but experts calculated he would have been at least just over twice the limit at the time of the escapade.

The defendant, who has 66 previous convictions, was also banned for two years. Limb, of Burnley Road, Loveclough, admitted aggravated vehicle taking, driving whilst disqualified, excess alcohol and no insurance.

Recorder Timothy Ryder told him his conduct had been "nothing less than appalling". He said the defendant had shown reckless disregard for others in the town centre and was a significant danger to members of the public.

The judge added: "It’s only your good luck that you are not now in court facing much more serious offences, having killed or seriously injured one of those people who you narrowly missed."

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, said last August 23, Mr Shah was at a takeaway, ended up in an altercation with the defendant and lost his £3,000 hearing aid.

Limb got in a car and reversed causing Mr Shah to have to leap out of the way. He then drove the vehicle straight at him as he was standing on Bacup Road and Mr Shah had to dive out of the way. The defendant then crashed into a bridge.

Martin Hackett, for Limb, said he had a lengthy record. The manner of the dangerous driving clearly crossed the custody threshold.