Mother-of-two twice over the limit in motorway crash

Stacey Birtwistle (29) had been over twice the limit when her Toyota Yaris left the carriageway in the late-night smash on September 25th. She was alone in the vehicle and no other car was involved, Burnley magistrates were told.

Birtwistle, who was taken to hospital after the accident, gave a blood test there, which showed 168 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood; the legal limit is 80.

The defendant, of Veevers Street in Brierfield, admitted to driving under the influence of excess alcohol on the M65 at Brierfield yet had no previous convictions and was fined £275, with a £30 victim surcharge and £85 costs as well as being banned from driving for 17 months.

Birtwistle, who was not represented by a solicitor, cried as she told the bench: "I can't believe that I did it and I'm so ashamed. I had had a really bad day. I have been having nightmares ever since and I can't sleep, because every time I close my eyes I can see the car rolling.

"I have been really struggling since and I have more than learned my lesson. I'm just grateful that nobody else was involved."

Birtwistle said that the driving disqualification would make it difficult to take her children to nursery and school and to go shopping before adding: "I understand it's my own fault."