A PIVOTAL church member with an 'impeccable' character was almost twice the legal limit when she drove into a wall on the A65 at Austwick, Skipton magistrates heard.

Sarah Caroline Leach, 47, was on her way to Ambleside on January 2 with her two children in the car when she swerved to avoid a lorry and collided with a wall, the court was told on Friday.

She provided a positive roadside breath test, and at the police station she had 68 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35.

Leach, who admitted drink-driving, had had a drink earlier in the day and had thought herself safe to drive by the early evening.

The court heard she was a pivotal member of St Andrew's Church, Starbeck, Harrogate, and of her community.

Canon Francis Wainaina, of St Andrew's, said she was an important member of the church and the community of Starbeck and that he would "trust her with his life".

Leach, of The Avenue, Harrogate, was banned from driving for 20 months and fined £400, with costs of £85 and a victims surcharge of £40. If she completes a drink drivers rehabilitation course by March, 2016, her ban will be reduced by 20 weeks.