A DRINK driver visiting her girlfriend in Worcester made the decision to move her car to avoid a parking ticket - and ended up with a driving ban instead.

Victoria Brandish admitted driving with excess alcohol in Middle Street in the Arboretum, Worcester when she appeared before city magistrates on Thursday.

The 29-year-old accountant was more than twice the drink drive limit when she decided to move her car at around 8pm on July 4 this year. The evidential reading was 79mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, over twice the limit of 35mcg.

Mark Hambling, prosecuting, said Brandish was stopped by a special constable and asked if she had drunk any alcohol. She answered 'a couple of pints'.

She failed a roadside breath test and was taken to Worcester Police Station where the evidential sample was obtained.

He said she was a person of previous good character. Her solicitor said she had a lack of convictions and that she had made 'an unfortunate choice to drive a very short distance' after parking in Pierpoint Court in Worcester.

"She was aware that parking was limited to two hours and, not wanting to get a ticket, she moved the vehicle a very short distance to Middle Street, outside her partner's address" he said.

Brandish of Mayfield Avenue, Farnworth, Bolton has told her employers about what happened and they wrote a character reference on her behalf. Brandish also wrote a letter herself, expressing her remorse. The court heard how she now faces a 40 mile round trip to work without a licence and had therefore 'placed herself in difficulties'.

Magistrates fined her £500, ordered her to pay £135 costs and a £50 victim surcharge. They banned her from driving for 19 months.

However, they offered her the drink drive course which, if completed successfully, will reduce the length of the ban by 25 per cent.