A PIG farmer who claimed she only had a shandy and bottle of beer has been disqualified after drink driving – leaving her isolated on her farm.

Jan Balfe, 53, of Nenthead, Alston, who suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS), pleaded guilty to the offence when she appeared at North and West Magistrates’ Court in Carlisle.

John Smith, for the defendant, said Balfe had drunk a shandy and bottle of beer at a friend’s house in west Cumbria, and did not think she would be over the limit.

On the way home on April 23, she hit a deer on the A686 near Edenhall, which caused her to crash into a stone wall.

A lorry driver then stopped to help and Balfe asked him to contact the police.

Mr Smith said: “It was Jan who asked for the police to be called. She didn’t believe there was any risk she would be over the limit. She had consumed such a small amount of alcohol a few hours earlier.”

Mr Smith said he understood her MS can affect the rate at which alcohol is metabolised.

Prosecutor Pam Ward said Balfe refused to give a breath sample at the roadside because of her MS. She was arrested and taken to Penrith police station where she provided a urine sample. The results came back with 164mg of alcohol in 100ml of urine – the legal limit of 107mg.

Mr Smith said a driving ban would cause Balfe and her business partner “exceptional hardship”, because they live in an isolated rural community with no public transport.

District Judge Gerald Chalk banned Balfe from driving for 14 months and imposed a fine of £110.

He offered Balfe an eight week rehabilitation course, which would reduce the ban by 14 weeks.

Balfe was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £30.