A woman has lost the chance of starting a new job as a carer after she admitted drink-driving.

Karen Ives, 56, had been drinking heavily at home after her father was admitted to hospital and got in her car the following day thinking she would be all right to drive.

But when she was stopped in Park Road, Diss, on January 9, Ives, of Denmark Street, Diss, was found to have 85 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Ives admitted the offence at Norwich Magistrates' Court yesterday. Sally Dale, mitigating, said Ives was 'shocked' to discover she was over the limit and would now not be able to start a job as a carer.

She was disqualified from driving for 20 months, fined £120, ordered to pay £50 costs and a £20 surcharge.