A DARTS player whose victorious team celebrated at a local pub ended the night by crashing his car while over the drink drive limit.

Alan Douglas Murray (29) who was convicted of a similar offence in 2007, was arrested after police found him late at night walking along the A689 on the outskirts of Alston, Carlisle's Rickergate magistrates' court heard.

In court, prosecutor Pam Ward said police got involved after the defendant crashed his Vauxhall Astra car into a stone wall at the edge of the road at about 1am on Saturday, April 21.

Police found the car badly damaged but there was no sign of the driver, said Mrs Ward.

"An extensive search of the area eventually found the defendant, walking towards Alston on the A689," said the prosecutor.

"He was taken to The Cumberland Infirmary so that his injuries could be assessed. He said that he had been the driver and that after the collision he had tried to walk home."

A blood test carried out at the hospital confirmed that the defendant had 186mcg of alcohol in every 100ml of blood. The legal limit for alcohol in blood is 80mcg.

Addressing the court, the defendant, of Catton, near Allendale, said: "I'd been playing darts and we won.

"We had a couple of pints afterwards to celebrate. I had two lagers.

"I just want to apologise."

A father-of-three, he said he now faced having to get to his job, 12 miles from where he lived, without the advantage of driving.

"I've let myself and my family down," he added.

Magistrates imposed a 20-month driving ban but offered the defendant a drink drivers' rehabilitation course, which if completed in time will reduce his ban by 20 weeks.

They also imposed a £346 fine, £85 costs, and a victim surcharge of £30.