A PUB chef was more than four times the drink-drive limit when he drove into the back of a lorry on the Aire Valley trunk road, Skipton magistrates heard.

James Watson, 42, narrowly escaped prison, and instead received a 12-month community order with supervision and a 36-month driving ban.

Watson had been on his way home to Cottingley at around 10.30pm on December 22, and was between Kildwick and Silsden when he hit the lorry, causing extensive damage to his Mini Cooper, the court heard on Friday.

He provided a positive roadside breath test and was taken to the police station where he was found to have 150 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35. He had previously received a 30-month ban for drink-driving in 2004, the court heard.

Watson, who admitted drink-driving was told by magistrates he had crossed the custody threshold, but they had taken into account his vulnerable state and his family circumstances.

In mitigation, Jill Darrington said Watson had been drinking while working a long shift. He had been following an articulated lorry and had run into the back of it. It had driven off and he had been left with slight bruising.

She said he had been very concerned about his parents, both of whom had terminal cancer, and had difficulties with his ex-wife and three teenage children.

He had stopped drinking following the accident, had sought medical advice and was having counselling, she said.

In addition, he had given notice at The Tempest Arms, where he worked, and was now unemployed, although he expected to be in work again shortly.

Watson, of Stock A Close Farm, Stock A Houses, will have to attend a drink impaired course of 19 days as part of his community order and pay costs of £85, and a victims surcharge of £60. If he completes a drink drivers rehabilitation course by March 9, 2017, his ban will be reduced by 36 weeks.