A COCAINE-taking footballer hid from police for an hour after failing a breath test and running from the scene.

Former Whitstable Town midfielder Joe Hitchings, 20, was more than twice the legal limit when he fled from officers in Canterbury.

The IT worker, of Nunnery Fields, was eventually found an hour later, holed up in a friend’s flat in the city.

Canterbury magistrates heard Hitchings had been driving a Fiat Bravo when he was stopped in Old Watling Street at 3.25am.

Police had been alerted by suspicious CCTV operators who had seen the car parked outside Club Chemistry minutes before.

Hitchings told officers his name was Lee Hook, but ran off after blowing more than double the limit when breathalysed.

Prosecutor Teresa Ruiz said: “He was followed by officers but was lost from sight. During the search for him a male approached police and said his name was Lee Hook.

“He asked where his car was and gave the driver’s name as Joe Hitchings.”

When arrested, Hitchings was searched at the police station and a small bag of cocaine was found in his wallet.

He said it was for his own personal use and he only took the drug “very, very occasionally”.

Defending, Ian Bond explained why Hitchings had been driving someone else’s car in the early hours of the morning.

He said: “Lee Hook is in a state and has an early start the next morning. He wants to get his car back to Station Road West and asks his young friend if he will drive it.

“The rest, as they say, is history.”

Hitchings, who now plays for Deal Town, admitted possessing cocaine, drink driving and driving without insurance.

He was fined £700, hit with £85 costs and banned from the road for 18 months.