A 60-YEAR-OLD man told police he had drunk a 'boat load' when stopped in Sutton-in-Craven the day after New Year's Day on suspicion of drink-driving.

Stuart Whitaker, who was more than three times over the limit, and banned from driving at the time, was temporarily living in a friend's car which was parked outside Cross Hills Working Men's Club, heard Skipton Magistrates.

He had been living there after his home was damaged by fire two days before Christmas, at the same time he was planning the funeral of his elderly mother.

Whitaker had driven the Vauxhall Astra just a short distance when police, alerted by smoke coming out of the back, stopped him outside South Craven School, Holme Lane.

He admitted he had been drinking, and was taken to the police station where he was found to have 113 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

The court heard he had been banned from driving in 2002 for five years, but had never re-taken his test, making him still a disqualified driver.

Whitaker, of Walton Street, Holme Bridge, who admitted driving while disqualified and while over the limit on January 2, further admitted taking a car without the owner's consent and using it without insurance and no MOT certificate.

The court heard he had been made temporarily homeless after his housing association flat had been hit by fire just before Christmas.

In mitigation, John Mewies, said he was also at the time making arrangements for the funeral of his mother, for whom he had been the registered carer. She had died a few days earlier.

Mr Mewies said alternative accommodation had been offered by the Cheshire-based housing association in Preston, but he had not wanted to be away from home.

Instead, he had taken up the offer a friend's car, which had been registered off the road, parked in the club car park and for which he had a key.

On January 2, he had been offered a bed for a night at a friend's house, had been in the car and surprised when it had started up, said Mr Mewies.

"He had moved it no more than 200 metres and told police he was on his way to a friend's house in Sutton, he was driving slowly and the car was omitting smoke from the rear," he said.

Magistrates adjourned sentencing until January 29 for reports.