A man who drove along the M20 with a burst tyre, scraping his alloy wheel along the carriageway, told police he thought he was drunk when they pulled him over.

Mark Curry, 41, was caught driving along the motorway near Ashford just after midnight on November 12 when officers spotted his damaged vehicle had smoke coming from the bonnet.

When he was stopped by police, he told them: "I think I'm drunk."

Curry, of Coral Park, Maidstone, was given a breath test which saw him blow more than twice the legal limit and he was arrested and charged with drink-driving.

The father-of-two admitted the offence when he appeared before magistrates in Folkestone on November 30.

The court heard he gave a reading of 75 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Julie Farbrace, prosecuting, told the bench Curry was of previous good character and had a clean licence.

Defending himself, Curry said he had been at a celebration, adding: "I don't usually drink, well not much anyway.

"I'd had two drinks, but spaced them out then later I was encouraged to have one more. I gave in as I felt sober.

"As I left the venue I felt OK, but I was driving on a very narrow road about 20mph and another car was bombing up the other way and didn't look like it was stopping.

"My car ends up clipping a pothole or a tree stump and the tyre burst."

Curry went on to tell magistrates he did call the RAC to come and help him but the motoring organisation told him it would be at least four hours before they could get to him.

He added: "I stupidly got back in the car. It was a big mistake on my part. It will be a massive loss to me if I can't drive."

The bench was also told Curry was the main carer for his children and usually did the school runs.

Magistrates decided to ban him from driving for 19 months and fined him £800 for the offence.

Curry was also ordered to pay a £320 victim surcharge and £85 costs. If he completes a drink-driving course, his ban will be reduced by a quarter.