A DRINK-DRIVER was caught stumbling along the verge on the A49 after losing his car in a crash, a court has heard.

Krzysztof Marcin Slowik admitted drink-driving when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford.

Police had been on patrol on the A49 between Ross-on-Wye and Hereford when they came across Slowik stumbling through bushes at the roadside in Much Birch on March 5, prosecutor Mark Hambling said.

But when officers pulled over to ask if he was ok, Slowik told them he was looking for his car.

The 38-year-old was arrested after telling officers he had drunk three beers before driving and had lost control of his car, running off the road at Much Birch.

An evidential breath test in custody revealed he had 64 microgrammes of alcohol per litre of blood. The legal limit is 35.

Chris Read. for Slowik, said he had spent some time with a friend that day, drinking around two and a half cans of beer.

"He then drove home," Mr Read said.

"He accepts he was concentrating on some issues he was having in his mind and he lost concentration and ran off the road.

"This was late at night and he had not felt impaired."

The court heard a mandatory driving ban would have a "massive impact" on the self-employed carpenter, as he needs his now written-off vehicle to transport his tools and materials.

Slowik, of Kinnersley Close, Hereford, was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined £80. He must also pay costs of £135 and a £34 victim surcharge.