A man who downed a strong bottle of French beer was spotted driving the wrong way out of a Eurotunnel terminal.

Staff at the site in Cheriton, Folkestone, called the police after seeing Sebastian Fisher taking a route he shouldn’t have.

After officers stopped the 56-year-old in his Peugeot, they noticed he was slurring his words and asked him to do a roadside test.

Fisher was found to be more than twice the legal alcohol limit - and has now been banned from driving in the UK for more than a year.

Magistrates in Folkestone were told how he had been living in the south of France and was coming back to England when he drank the beer, which had 13% ABV.

Neil Sweeney, prosecuting, told the court Fisher got off LeShuttle at about 1.15am on July 14.

He added: “He took the wrong route and then went across a road (he shouldn’t have driven on). The police were called and [he] did a roadside test and he failed it.

“Police said he was slurring his words.”

Fisher gave a reading of 77 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

He was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, but while in custody he made no comment to officers and was later charged.

Fisher gave an address of Eastling Road, Ospringe, Faversham, when he appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on December 12, where he admitted drink-driving.

Lewis Holloway, defending, said his client had issues with his car and had been rushing to get to the French terminal at Coquelles in Calais - and had been relieved to get there on time to catch the train.

Mr Holloway added: “He brought something to eat and he had been gifted a bottle of alcohol. It was French beer and he didn’t realise how strong it was - it was 12 or 13% and was fortified beer.

“He drank that and didn’t realise. He is very sorry for what happened. He has no previous convictions and earns £25,000 a year.”

District Judge Nicola Fleck fined Fisher £300 for the offence and banned him from driving for 17 months.

He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £120 and £85 costs. If he completes a drink-driving course, his ban will be reduced by a quarter.