A DRINK driver who was caught almost three-and-a-half times over the legal limit had been banned years earlier.

Kaye Smith, 49, of Trinkeld Avenue, Swarthmoor, pleaded guilty to drink driving when she appeared at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court yesterday.

She was stopped by police in Hollywood Park, Barrow, on October 24 shortly after 3pm.

Mr Trystan Roberts, defending, said: "She is thoroughly ashamed about her behaviour and has shown a lot of remorse.

"She has been having difficulties lately and had been using alcohol as a crutch to dull the pain.

"She'd been drinking the night before and had another drink at lunchtime.

"Her eldest son is just about to leave home and as a devoted mother it is causing her some anxiety.

"Since this incident she has cut down on her drinking drastically."

Smith was found with 116 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

The court heard she had been banned from driving for 23 months in 2010 for an earlier drink driving offence.

Appearing before magistrates, Smith was disqualified from driving for 50 months and handed a 12 month community order of 120 hours unpaid work.

She was also ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £85.