A PATROLLING police officer saw a woman standing next to a car with the driver's door open and a bunch of keys in her hand at 1.40 am.

Blackburn magistrates heard Abigail West shut the door and walked away when she appeared to see the police car.

She returned shortly after and drove off, not realising the officer was parked up down the road and saw her.

West, 29, of Cross Barn Grove, Darwen, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. She was fined £120 with £160 costs and £32 victim surcharge and banned from driving for 24 months.

Glen Anderton, prosecuting, said having seen West near the car in Railway Road the officer parked up and kept watch. Shortly after she returned to the car and drove off and the officer stopped her.

"When she lowered her window he noticed an overwhelming smell of alcohol and asked her to take a breathalyser test," said Mr Anderton. "She said she wouldn't blow over the limit because she hadn't had anything to drink. She gave a roadside reading nearly three times the legal limit."

Duncan Nightingale, defending, said at the time his client believed she was being targeted by the police because she had been stopped twice for no reason and there had been no problem.

"This time she was over the limit and the reason it was the same officer was simply that he works in that area," said Mr Nightingale.