Taking to the road after drinking a half bottle of vodka, a Truro woman’s driving was so erratic a member of the public used his car to block her in to prevent her continuing her journey.

Sher Tiddy, aged 39, of Kennerley Terrace, pleaded guilty to drink-driving at Truro Magistrates’ Court last week.

The court heard how she had travelled to pick up her daughter from where she was living with her father.

However, she was refused access after her former partner said he could tell she was under the influence of alcohol.

She got back into her car and drove to a layby, where she consumed the bottle of vodka.

She started to drive back to her daughter’s house, but decided against it, and headed back to Truro from the Probus roundabout.

It was here that she began to be followed by a concerned member of the public.

The prosecutor told the court: “From the Probus roundabout, he followed her for several miles, during which time the car clipped the verge several times, and veered into the other lane.

“He told police that she was driving so badly he was fearful she would crash, and by following he would be there to help when it did.

“He followed the vehicle for around five miles into Truro and into Trelander Barton, where he blocked her in and called the police.”

When officers arrived, Tiddy was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and taken to Camborne police station, where she tested positive for 108 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

The court was told how Tiddy was battling alcohol addiction and was due to enter the Chy Colom rehabilitation centre in Truro for treatment.

She was very remorseful and understood how her actions had put herself and others at risk.

Magistrates banned her from driving for two years, and imposed a two year conditional discharge.

She was told: “This sentence is well outside of the guidelines, but we are imposing it in light of the mitigating circumstances, and hopefully you are now on the road to recovery.”