THE chairman of Chard Town Football Club said he will “never make the same mistake again” after being found more than twice over the legal drink drive limit.

William Earnest Whitelaw, of Brutton Way, Chard pleaded guilty to drink driving at South Somerset Magistrates' Court and was banned from driving for 17 months.

He told the News this week: “I regret that it happened, it was an emergency call out and if I had known I was like that [over the legal drink drive limit] then I would never have gone out.”

Mr Whitelaw was driving a Vauxhall Insignia on High Street in Chard on April 27 when police pulled him over.

Following a breath test, he recorded a reading of 82 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than double the 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath limit.

He was disqualified from driving for 17 months, fined £420, along with a victim surcharge of £42 and costs of £85 to the court.

Mr Whitelaw can have his disqualification reduced by 129 days if he attends a rehabilitation course before April 9 next year.

He will pay back £80 per month, starting on June 1.