A PUB manager who crashed her car while more than three times the drink-drive limit told police she’d ‘only had a bottle of wine and two vodkas’.

Nadia Foster, 51, was on her way to help her daughter when her Volvo collied with some bollards at Park Head in Workington on May 31.

Outlining the case at Workington Magistrates’ Court, prosecutor Pamela Fee said a witness had been at home when she heard a loud bang. She had a look outside and saw a vehicle had hit the bollards outside her house.

Foster was in the driver’s seat, where she remained for a few minutes before getting out and walking round the front of the vehicle. The witness said Foster was in a dressing gown and had stumbled over the front of the bonnet.

She then attempted to drive off but realised the vehicle wouldn’t move. She ran off, then returned to take something out of the vehicle before running off again. She then returned to the scene with a man and was arrested.

Foster provided a sample of 110mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit to drive is 35mcg. She told police, “I can’t be that far over the limit. I only had a bottle of wine and two vodkas. I thought I was alright.”

The defendant said she was on her way to help her daughter who was having trouble with someone at the pub.

Foster gave a reading of 101mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath at the police station. During police interview, the defendant admitted the offence and said she was sorry for doing it but needed to help her daughter.

A probation officer told the court that the offence was committed following a decline in the defendant’s mental health.

Foster was ‘at a loss’ to explain why she had been driving. She said her daughter had called her and asked her to join her at her place of work. The defendant told her she couldn’t drive and had then gone to bed. She awoke shortly after and thought she was ok to drive.

The court heard that Foster is the manager of a pub and there would be ‘shame and stigma’ attached to having an alcohol tag while working in a pub.

Mike Woolaghan, defending, said: “She collided with road traffic furniture. Thankfully, no one was injured.

“It’s clear that she had been struggling with issues that she hadn’t recognised were having a substantial impact on her.”

Foster, of Westfield Terrace, Main Road, Flimby, pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle with alcohol level above the limit.

Magistrates banned the defendant from driving for 24 months but decided against an alcohol monitoring requirement.

Instead, Foster was given a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work. She must also pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.