A DRUGS driver was caught after ambulance staff taking his partner to hospital alerted police, heard Skipton magistrates.

Police were waiting for Skipton man Paul Lord at Airedale hospital on October 10 when he arrived shortly after his partner had been taken there by ambulance.

Ambulance staff had seen cannabis in the house, had offered Lord a lift, which he had declined, and had alerted police, the court heard.

A blood test revealed he had 4.3 microgrammes of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (cannabis) in a litre of blood, more than twice the legal limit of 2.

The court heard that an ambulance had been called to take Lord's partner to hospital and that he had turned down the offer of a lift as he wanted to secure the house and not to delay her getting there.

Police were then waiting for him when he arrived at the hospital.

Lord, 55, of Greatwood Avenue, admitted drugs driving, and was banned from driving for a year and fined £100 with costs of £85 and surcharge of £30.