A DRUG driver cashed his van through a fence after losing control of it while trying to retrieve a bottle top, a court heard.

Harley Hall, 21, crashed his Ford Transit into a field on the A49 at Berrington on March 5.

Hall of Hope Bagot Lane, Knowbury, Ludlow, pleaded guilty at Hereford Magistrates Court on Thursday to two counts of drug driving.

Adrian Jones, prosecuting, said that at 5.20pm police received reports of the incident.

On arrival at the scene Hall approached the officer and confirmed that he was the driver.

"Police officers noticed that his eye's pupils were pin-point small and that he appeared confused," said Mr Jones.

A drug test provided gave a reading of 284ug/L per 100ml of blood of Benzoylecgonine (BZE), a metabolism of cocaine, the legal limit is 50.

He also gave a reading of 3.9ug/L per 100ml of blood of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (the active compound found in cannabis), the legal limit is two.

Hall told police that he had been travelling at around 50 miles per hour when he dropped the lid from a bottle of pop and completely missed the bend while trying to retrieve the top.

He admitted to using cocaine and cannabis the night before the collision but said that he hadn't taken any drugs on that day.

Rob Macrory, mitigating, said that a driving ban would mean Hall wasn't able to work any more as a self-employed welder.

Hall was banned from driving for 14 months.

He was also ordered to pay a £110 fine for being over the BZE limit, £50 for being over the Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol limit, £30 victim surcharge and £135 costs.