A drunk driver from St Ives was imprisoned in his own van by concerned motorists who had seen it veering and leaning across the A38, a court has heard.

Motorists were so concerned at the driving of Gary Peter Stanley in his fish delivery van that when it stopped they took the keys from the ignition and locked him inside.

Stanley, 38, of Park Avenue, St Ives South, was still there when police officers arrived, and he told them he had only had some of a bottle of brown ale which he shared with a friend.

On Wednesday he pleaded guilty at Truro Magistrates Court to drink driving at Liskeard on June 7.

Alison May for the CPS said the witnesses thought he had been driving at about 100 miles per hour, veering from side to side of the road, the vehicle leaning over on occasions.

At Menheniot, it mounted the central reservation, and stopped, when they went to it and took the keys,.

Stanley later tested at 106 mcg alcohol in breath, just over three times the limit.

He told officers he had fallen asleep while driving which was why he had swerved, and why he then pulled up and stopped.

He said the day before he had drunk a couple of bottles of wine with some vodka and Ribena. “I drink too much and had been probably well over the limit the next day”, he said.

He had three previous convictions for drink driving, dating back to 1998, with the last one 12 years ago.

Maggs Hopwood, probation officer, said he was a long term alcoholic who drank when in crisis. At the time of the offence, the day before he had not been thinking about the consequences when he drank so much.

Stanley, who lost his job as a result of the offence, was given a community order for a year with 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement with Addaction, told to do 200 hours of unpaid work, and pay £170 costs and charges. He was banned from driving for 28 months.