A man drank at a string of pubs before getting behind the wheel, driving into a parked car and leaving the scene.

Michael Farnworth, 70, had drunk two bottles of cider and three pints when he dented the car at the Pack Horse pub on Chelford Road in Broken Cross. Two men at the pub saw him collide with the vehicle and police later attended his home and arrested him, Macclesfield Magistrates court heard.

He gave a breath test of 74 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 35mgs.

His solicitor said it was a ‘rather sorry affair’ that Farnworth, of Hightree Drive, Henbury, found himself in court for the first time and said it had been a ‘sobering experience’. Magistrates banned him from the road for 18 months.

Prosecuting, Debbie Byrne said: “At around 9.45pm the complainant had gone to pick her daughter up from work at the Pack Horse but another car collided with her’s. There was a dent and scratches on the passenger door. Two male customers saw the defendant drive off and took details of the vehicle.

“At 11pm police went to his address in Henbury after reports that there had been a collision.

“Police spoke to defendant who had been consuming alcohol and he gave a positive breath test.

“At interview he said he had gone out about 7pm and had two bottles of cider, then he went to another pub the Bull’s Head and had a pint of bitter before driving to the Pack Horse and having a further two pints of bitter. He reversed out of a parking space and collided with a car. He got out and saw the dent, went into the pub to find the owner but it was busy and he went home.”

Farnworth pleaded guilty to drink driving and failing to stop after an accident on August 10.

Defending, Steve McHugh, said: “It’s a rather sad affair that a man of my client’s years has found himself in court for the first time.

“He’s extremely remorseful and did the decent thing the next day and went to the pub to give details to the landlord for the driver.

“It was a dent at a slow speed and he’s not drunk since. It’s been a sobering experience which won’t go away for a long time.”

Farnworth was fined £670 for the drink-drive charge and ordered to pay a £67 victim surcharge, costs of £85, a £150 court charge. He was fined £250 for failing to stop,