A drink driver who crashed into a parked car after a night out has lost her dream job, a court heard.

Megan Liah Fairfield, from Helmshore, had been celebrating her last shift as a care assistant with colleagues when she decided to drive the 500-yard journey home.

However, 200 yards into the trip she crashed her red Audi into a parked car on Helmshore Road in Haslingden, Burnley Magistrates Court heard.

Prosecutor Charlotte Crane said Fairfield was more than twice the legal drink driving limit when the incident happened at 3.55am on August 1. The court heard how the owner of the parked car was woken by a ‘bang’ and came outside to find his car had been ‘smashed into’ by the Audi.

Miss Crane told the court: “He went outside and was approached by Miss Fairfield who initially claimed that she needed assistance because her friends had run off.

“He called the police and they arrived. She then changed her story and accepted driving the Audi and made comments that she had been to a leaving do, had been done for drink driving before and apologised for her behaviour.”

Fairfield, 22, of Holcombe Road, provided a breathalyser reading of 78mg in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

She pleaded guilty to drink driving and was given a fine and costs totalling £299 and disqualified from driving for 40 months, reduced by 40 weeks if she completes a drink driving course.

The court heard how she had previously been disqualified in March 2016 for 17 months for drink driving.

Defence solicitor Daniel Frazer said: “What started out to be a happy occasion turned out to be an unmitigated disaster and unfortunately Miss Fairfield has nobody but herself to blame.

“She was, that evening, finishing her last shift as a care assistant. She had just got what she described as her dream job caring for young children in the community.

“She was asked by a few friends to go on an impromptu farewell. She went out and had a few drinks and that’s where the story starts to go south for Miss Fairfield.

“She is exceedingly remorseful. She knows she is going to be disqualified and the dream job required a driving licence so that’s now gone.”