RIDING a 49cc mini motorbike spelled disaster for Ely man Darin Neighbour – he was badly injured when he fell off the machine and he failed a breathalyser test. And Neighbour still had a black eye and a cut to his head when he appeared before magistrates

RIDING a 49cc mini motorbike spelled disaster for Ely man Darin Neighbour - he was badly injured when he fell off the machine and he failed a breathalyser test.

And Neighbour still had a black eye and a cut to his head when he appeared before magistrates on Thursday, and admitted drink driving.

Neighbour had not been wearing a crash helmet when he wobbled and fell of the bike in Woodfen Road at Littleport, said prosecutor Matthew Bradbury, adding: "he thought the bike was a toy."

Neighbour, 37, who has a 'care-of' address in West End Mews, Ely, admitted riding the machine when over the alcohol limit on May 28. He gave a breath test reading almost double the legal alcohol limit, it was 67 mcgs of alcohol in 100 mls of breath, when the limit is 35 mcgs.

Paramedics were at the scene of the accident when police arrived at 8.40pm, said Mr Bradbury. Neighbour had drunk four cans of beer.

Mitigating, Jacqui Baldwin said Neighbour and two other people had been riding the mini motorbike up and down a track they believed was private and not part of the public highway.

"He suffered quite a serious injury, it is fair to say the bike was damaged and he was injured, but no one else was injured," she added.

Unemployed Neighbour was fined £100 with £50 costs and banned from driving for 16 months.