A motorist travelled the wrong way up an A14 slip road into oncoming traffic after drinking neat vodka, a court heard.

Mary Warren, 29, headed towards vehicles on the Seven Hills slip road in the direction of Felixstowe on Boxing Day after drinking the alcohol at her father's home in Trimley.

Another driver heading the right way flashed full beams at her to stop her before asking if she knew she was travelling in the wrong direction, Suffolk magistrates heard.

She was found to have 123 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - three times the legal limit - when she was tested by police and pleaded guilty to drink driving.

Lesla Small, prosecuting, told Friday's hearing the witness described how Warren, of Brookside, Earl Soham, could not speak "lucidly or coherently and could not explain where she was" after being stopped.

She said: "He saw a car in front that had braked as it was approaching the roundabout. He said the next thing he saw were headlights that looked like they were heading towards him on the slip road against the flow of traffic."

After flashing his lights, he pulled up alongside her car to speak to her.

"He saw a female driver and said, 'you do know you are driving the wrong way up a slip road, are you ok?''" Ms Small added.

The driver of a BMW in front of the witness also stopped and called the police.

Ms Small said: "During the conversation, he said she did not seem lucid or coherent and could not explain where she was. Her number plate was also missing."

Andrew Cleal, mitigating, said Warren was of previous good character and had lived in Surrey.

He said: "This has proved a very devastating event for this lady who has had no previous involvement with the court."

Warren received an eight-week suspended sentence, was disqualified from driving for 29 months and was ordered to pay a total of £233 in legal costs.