A MAN was shocked to discover he was still over the drink drive limit even though he had not had a drink for 16 hours, a court heard.

Bury magistrates were told that after being pulled over by a police officer for a routine check he smelt so heavily of alcohol that he was given a breath test.

The test was positive and later Timothy McDermott, aged 28, was found to have 103 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 80.

McDermott, who was stopped shortly before 8pm as he travelled along Bury Road in Radcliffe, said he had not touched a drink since 4am earlier in the day.

Apologising to the court, McDermott, a self-employed builder, from Coniston Drive, Bury, added: "I am sorry. It was just one of those mistakes." After pleading guilty to having consumed alcohol over and above the prescribed limit, he was banned from driving for 12 months and fined £160 with £55 court costs.