A LIFEGUARD at Craven Pool in Skipton has been banned from driving for a year after admitting drink-driving.

Daniel Ridding, 18, reversed his VW Polo into a lamppost in Gas Street car park in Skipton during the evening of July 29 while attempting to move it elsewhere, heard Skipton Magistrates' Court.

His intention had been to move it to the car park of the nearby Venue Bar in Cavendish Street, where he was drinking with friends, rather than leave it overnight at the council car park and risk a ticket in the morning, the court heard.

But nearby residents heard a loud bang and alerted police who after finding the unattended, damaged Polo traced Ridding to his home where he had returned.

He provided a positive breath test and was taken to Harrogate Police Station where he was found to have 48 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35.

Ridding, of Grassington Road, Skipton, who admitted drink driving, had no previous convictions and was due to start a degree in sports development at Newcastle University, the court was told.

He had been to college and was currently employed as a lifeguard at Craven Pool and Fitness Centre.

The court heard in mitigation that Ridding was a hard working young man whose actions on the night would stay with him for some time. In addition, he had spent a whole night in custody at Harrogate after another incident, with no connection to him, had meant he could not be dealt with until the morning.

Magistrates told Ridding that they believed he was a 'decent' young man with a good future ahead of him, and that he had made a mistake that would stay with him for a long time.

He was banned from driving for a year and fined £120 with costs of £85 and surcharge of £30. If he completes a drink drivers rehabilitation course, his ban will be reduced by 12 weeks.