A disqualified driver was more than three times the legal drink drive limit when he crashed into a stationary vehicle.

Blackburn magistrates heard there were twin 12-year-old girls in the car which had stopped to pick up their grandad.

And the magistrates told Liam John Briercliffe he could have been in the crown court facing much more serious charges if the girls had been injured or even killed.

Briercliffe, 37, of Alexandra Street, Clayton-le-Moors, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol, driving while disqualified and without insurance and aggravated vehicle taking.

He was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months and made subject to a community order for 18 months with 15 days' rehabilitation activity requirement and 20 days' thinking skills course.

He was banned from driving for 48 months and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £122 victim surcharge.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the grandad was sitting on a wall near the Hyndburn Bridge pub in Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, at about 4pm on July 13 waiting for his daughter to arrive.

She pulled up alongside him and as he turned to collect his things he heard an "almighty crash".

"He looked round to see the car driven by the defendant had crashed into his daughter's car with the twin girls in the back," said Miss Allan.

"Her husband removed the keys from the ignition while mum and grandad checked on the girls. Mum told her dad to call the police because the defendant was so drunk he could hardy stand up. To be fair he did remain at the scene and he asked if the children were alright."

Miss Allan said Briercliffe, who gave a reading of 117 against the legal limit of 35, was disqualified from driving for 23 months in May 2018 for a drink driving offence.

Richard Prew, defending, said his client had been drinking heavily the night before and had drunk some more on the day of the offences.

He had a row with his girlfriend and then took her car without her consent.

"He s the first to admit it was madness to get into the vehicle in the state he was in," said Mr Prew.

"When he was drinking on the Saturday he had no intention of driving."

He said Briercliffe worked as a bricklayer and if he went to prison would come out to no job and no relationship.