A Meifod man who drove up a grass bank with a traffic cone lodged under his bumper after a birthday booze-up has been disqualified from driving.

Alistair Watkin, aged 28, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while over the legal alcohol limit and also to a further charge or driving with no insurance.

The court was told how, on September 29, Watkin had attempted to drive home following a night out in with friends when members of the public had alerted police to his 'erratic' driving while in Welshpool.

At around 10.30pm, police received a call from a member of the public concerned about a car which was being 'driven all over the road', heading in the direction of Llanfair Caereinion.

Police responded and caught up with the defendant on the A458 near Cyfronydd, where he was seen to be 'swerving from the centre of the road towards the bank'.

The exhaust on his Volkswagen Golf was seen to be hanging off at the rear of the vehicle and a traffic cone was lodged under his front bumper.

He then mounted a grass bank at the side of the road.

A subsequent breath test recorded 113 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, nearly 3 times over the legal limit of 35ug/ml.

Defending, Paul Inns said he had gone out for a 'last minute' birthday celebration in Welshpool with friends, and had intended to get a taxi home afterwards.

He said his client had 'no excuses' for his behaviour, or for his decision to drive on that evening.

Watkin told probation officers that he had no recollection of the incident, and admitted he had made a 'stupid mistake', and that he was 'glad no-one was hurt'.

Character witnesses described the defendant, a building labourer who also does part time bar work at a wedding venue, as a 'hard working' and 'honest' young man.

He was disqualified from driving for 17 months and ordered to complete a 42 day alcohol abstinence requirement.

He was ordered to complete 15 rehabilitation days and offered a drink driving course.

He was also ordered to pay costs of £85, and a victim surcharge of £95.