A MILNTHORPE market trader is facing prison after being caught drink driving two days in a row.

Mark Nelson, 38, of Helmeside Court, Oxenholme, was more than three times the legal alcohol limit when he drove from Milnthorpe to Kendal, despite having been charged with the same offence the day before.

Magistrates in Kendal heard how Nelson narrowly avoided accidents with other vehicles and drove on the wrong side of the road during his journey.

Nelson, who sells greetings cards at Milnthorpe Market, first came to the police’s attention on August 7 when members of the public expressed concern over his drinking.

David Dunk, prosecuting, said Nelson had been attempting to set off in his Citroen Beringo van from the market place when police arrived.

A breath test revealed 124 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

The following day, police received a call from a female driver who was travelling with her boyfriend along New Road in Kendal.

“The couple saw a Citreon van bump into the kerb for no reason and decided to follow the vehicle at a safe distance,” said Mr Dunk. “Mr Nelson’s vehicle had a number of near misses with other vehicles.”

Nelson was arrested and police tests revealed 142 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

Mitigating, Carolyn O’Mahony said Nelson, who had a clean driving licence and no previous convictions, was ‘deeply ashamed’ of his actions.

“Since 1994 he has suffered terribly with depression and Psychomania, a form of bipolar,” she said. “To use his own words, when he crashes and hits rock bottom alcohol is the only thing that seems to assist him.”

Ms O’Mahony said the first arrest had made Nelson feel worse, prompting him to drink even more alcohol when he returned home.

“On August 8, he got a taxi to Milnthorpe to collect his van from the market place,” she said. “He had had nothing to drink that morning but had drunk a lot the previous night. He thought he would be ok to drive but the alcohol was still in his system. He is deeply ashamed and accepts that events could have been far worse.”

The case was adjourned until September 1 for pre-sentence reports but chair, Jenny Waldron, warned Nelson that custody was the ‘most likely’ outcome.