A HOMELESS man who had been sleeping in his car fled from police after he was caught drink-driving.

Police saw Nicholas Sykes driving his silver Peugeot 205 at speed in the early hours of Thursday June 4.

They followed him into an industrial site in Kendal where he was seen getting out of the car and running into an alley.

Officers chased after Sykes and eventually found him hiding in bushes.

He was asked to come out but ran off again before he was tackled to the ground and arrested.

He provided a breath sample of 68 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

At South Cumbria Magistrates' Court on Wednesday Sykes, of Drovers Drive in Kendal, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and obstructing a police officer.

Defence solicitor Mike Graham said: "He was using the vehicle to sleep in as he has no accommodation.

"He was moving the vehicle to a quieter place so he could settle down for the night."

Sykes, 32, was disqualified from driving for 18 months and fined £200. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £35 victim surcharge.