A MOTORIST flipped a van onto its roof while driving at nearly twice the legal alcohol limit, a court heard.

Stephen Coombes, 36, left the vehicle in the middle of Bath Road in Nailsworth after hitting a kerb on February 22.

Elisabeth Thomas, prosecuting at Stroud Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, said: "When police arrived, they saw a Vauxhall Corsa van in the middle of the road, upside down on its roof.

"The person who called the police had given the description of a person who they had seen walking away from the vehicle."

They found Coombes nearby, who matched the description and admitted he was the driver.

"Police could smell alcohol on his breath," said Mrs Thomas.

"He was unsteady on his feet and he was slurring his words."

He was arrested following a roadside breath test and taken to Stroud police station.

A further test revealed he had 66 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

During a police interview, Coombes said he had drunk alcohol and was driving to a friend's home when he accidentally hit a kerb, causing the van to flip over.

He added that he had no intention of reporting the accident to the police or of moving the car.

Coombes, of London Road, Thrupp, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

The court heard he also had one previous conviction for the same offence from 1999.

Representing himself, Coombes presented a letter to court, which magistrates said indicated a great deal of remorse.

He was banned from the roads for three years and told to pay a £100 fine plus a £15 victim surcharge.