A MARYPORT mum was banned for two years after she was caught more than three times over the drink-drive limit.

Andrea Norman, 38, of Collins Terrace, appeared at the magistrates court in Workington on Friday.

Peter Barnsley, prosecuting, said the incident happened on September 15 at around 3am in Maryport, when an off-duty police officer saw the car driven by Norman without all the lights on and the vehicle swerving.

It stopped at the rugby club and had a passenger.

The car was then stopped on Victory Crescent.

Norman was found to have 110mcg of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35.

Mr Barnsley said Norman had no previous convictions.

Claire Kirkpatrick, defending, asked magistrates to give the defendant credit for her early guilty plea.

She said: "She was extremely cooperative with the police at the roadside and at the police station.

"She's absolutely devastated to be before the courts, she's not a lady who would have ever anticipated finding herself here and she's extremely remorseful."

The court heard that Norman had gone out in the car but intended to walk home.

But the friend she was with had a cast and needed crutches.

Mrs Kirkpatrick said: "She assumed her friend had made arrangements to get a taxi back but that wasn't the case.

"She tried to sort out a taxi but there were none available and she made the extremely foolish decision to drive her home."

The solicitor added Norman had two children, aged six and nine, and relied on her car to take them to school and to other activities.

However, she had already made arrangements for the children's transport and had spoken with her bosses at work to change her working hours to allow for using public transport.

Magistrates handed Norman a 24-month driving ban, but if she successfully completes a drink-drivers rehabilitation course her ban could be reduced by 24 weeks.

She was also sentenced to a community order with a requirement to abide by a curfew for eight weeks.

She must be at her home address between 8pm and 7am every day.

Norman must also pay £85 costs and £90 victim surcharge.