A FOOTBALL fan's best intentions not to drink and drive collapsed after his friend's car broke down, Skipton magistrates heard.

Mark Monkhouse, 28, had planned to go to a football match in Manchester with friends following a night out in Skipton, the court was told on Friday.

But in the morning after the night out, the friend had called to say his car had broken down and he would not be able to drive to Manchester.

Monkhouse was stopped by police on Calton Lane, Calton, at 11am on September 27. He provided a positive roadside breath test and was taken to the police station where he had 52 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Monkhouse, who pleaded guilty to drink-driving, had learned a salutary lesson, the court was told.

In mitigation, John Mewies said Monkhouse, of Clitheroe Street, Skipton had gone out in Skipton the night before with a group of friends, had drunk an amount of alcohol and finished up at the nightclub.

The following morning when his friend had called, he decided he was safe to drive and agreed to drive the group to Manchester.

He was on his way out of Skipton when he was stopped by a plain clothes officer who witnessed him overtaking another car.

"He genuinely did not expect to be driving that day, but he did not want to let his friends down," said Mr Mewies.

Monkhouse, a skilled joiner, was banned from driving for 15 months and fined £400. He was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victims surcharge of £40. If he completes a drink drivers rehabilitation course by August 3 next year, his ban will be reduced by 15 weeks.