A MAN who was almost double the drink drive limit narrowly avoided hitting an oncoming police car.

Neville Richard Borrows, 48, of Lady Kathryn Grove, Darlington, appeared at Darlington Magistrates’ Court where he pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol after he gave a reading of 66mg in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

Peter Milne, prosecuting, said Borrows was driving along Allan Street, in Darlington, in his Ford Mondeo when he drifted across the central line and narrowly avoided colliding with an oncoming police car.

When he was stopped by the same police officer, he gave a alcohol breath test of 66mg in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

Amrit Jandoo, mitigating, said Borrows was trying to find his partner after a row and had got into his car in a panic while trying to find her.

He added: “He had been drinking a social amount and thought he would be ok to drive the one or two miles to where he thought his partner would be.”

Borrows was disqualified from driving for 18 months, fined £370 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £37 victim surcharge.