TYRE fitter Michael Derbyshire has been banned for 20 months after being nearly twice over the drink-drive limit.

Derbyshire, aged 20, of Gardner Road, Prestwich, said he received a frantic call from his girlfriend who was being threatened and drove to "rescue" her. Police stopped him in Bury New Road, Prestwich, because he was driving without lights on. A test showed him to have 71 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35. He was fined £100, with £45 court costs.