A DRUNKEN driver fled the scene of a head-on crash leaving a woman trapped in her car.

Blackburn magistrates heard Danielle Berry could not open the driver's door and had to climb across the front seat to escape from her vehicle.

The court was told that Michael Joseph Costello, who was nearly four times the legal drink drive limit, ran away from the scene and was only detained after being tracked by a police dog for more than a mile.

Costello, aged 36, of Plodder Lane, Farnworth, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and failing to stop after a road accident. He was jailed for 12 weeks and banned from driving for three years. He gave a reading of 134 against the legal limit of 35.

Imposing an immediate custodial sentence District Judge Lewis Jones, said it was difficult to imagine the fear and panic Miss Berry must have had to endure when, initially, she could not get out of her car.

"You must have run for a mile or more before the police dog eventually got you," he said.

"To your discredit you then started to abuse the police officer which I find completely bizarre. You did this kind of thing in 2015 and this sort of behaviour calls for a prison sentence."

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said Miss Berry was driving from her home in Darwen with her mother and father in the vehicle in front of her.

She was driving along Roman Road towards Blackburn when she saw a black car heading towards her. She saw it mount the kerb on its own side of the road and then bounce back on to the road, heading straight towards her.

"She tried to get out of the way but had nowhere to go and the defendant's car hit her head-on," said Miss Allan. "She screamed as her air bag went off and then thought her car was on fire because she could smell smoke. In a state of panic she tried to get out of the driver's door but it wouldn't open."

Miss Allan said the other car had ended up in a hedge.

When police arrived they described a scene of "carnage" with bits of both cars strewn across the road.

Miss Allan revealed that Costello had a conviction in June, 2015 for failing to provide a sample and failing to stop after an accident which also involved him fleeing the scene of an accident and leaving an injured victim behind.

Ben Leech, defending, said the incident came at a difficult time in his client's life following the breakdown of a long-term relationship.

He said: "He wants me to express his shame and his regret and offer a full and substantial apology to the victim."