Dean Spencer's Ford Fiesta clipped a kerb in Slack Fold Lane, Farnworth

Dean Spencer was crying when his Ford Fiesta clipped a kerb in Slack Fold Lane, Farnworth, veered onto a grass verge and rolled over.

He clambered out of the vehicle, spoke to passers-by, tried and failed to telephone his ex-partner, and then made his way to a pub where he drank two pints before going home.

Spencer was sentenced at Bolton Magistrates' Court yesterday after earlier admitting failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident.

The crashed happened on the defendant's 51st birthday on June 22 in the narrow Farnworth country lane.

Jane Novas-Morell, defending, told the court: "He and his wife had recently separated. He was feeling exceptionally low. It was the first birthday he had celebrated without his wife."

Spencer had visited a shop to pick up toiletries for his son who was home from university and who he had planned to take out for a meal.

But he drove past his childhood home in Farnworth and became emotional, the court heard.

He was on his way to get his car washed in Morris Green when he suffered the collision and left the road.

His solicitor added: "It was a lapse in concentration. At the time he was driving he was crying.

"It was quite a serious accident. Thankfully there was nobody else on the road who was involved in the collision.

"He had banged his head and cut his shin. He was dazed, confused and probably concussed."

The Ford was written-off due to the damage to the roof and four hours later police officers traced Spencer to his house in Wayfaring, Westhoughton, where he was arrested.

Spencer, a registered manager of children's homes in Huddersfield and Dewsbury in West Yorkshire, was fined £500 by the magistrates and given eight points on his driving licence.

He was ordered to pay a court charge of £150, prosecution costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £50.

A count of drink driving was withdrawn when the prosecution offered no evidence.