A DRIVER whose car plunged down a railway embankment and landed on a mainline railway track was two times over the drink-driving limit, a court heard.Ian Conway, 30, of Nicholls Grove, Lawford, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared before Colchester Magistrates' Court.

A DRIVER whose car plunged down a railway embankment and landed on a mainline railway track was two times over the drink-driving limit, a court heard.

Ian Conway, 30, of Nicholls Grove, Lawford, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared before Colchester Magistrates' Court.

After the crash, at 11.30pm last Friday night, on the A137 Harwich Road, at Ardleigh, the Norwich-London railway line was disrupted and the road was closed in both directions for five hours.

The police helicopter was scrambled to search the area for another person because at first Conway denied he was the driver.

Sharon Moore, prosecuting, said: "Mr Conway was travelling along the A137 Harwich Road at Ardleigh. He was travelling towards Lawford in a Mazda vehicle.

"He appears to have lost control of the vehicle approaching a right hand bend. He then left the road on the nearside, and caused damage to a water station control box and electricity supply box.

"Then the car plummeted down the embankment, coming to rest on its side on the mainline railway."

Police found Conway at the top of the embankment. His speech was slurred and he smelt of alcohol.

"He was asked what had happened and he said he was the passenger of the vehicle," said Miss Moore.

The police helicopter searched the area – but no-one else was found.

He was taken to Clacton police station, where he was tested for alcohol and found to be over twice the legal limit for drinking and driving – registering 72 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

He admitted he had been driving the car, said Miss Moore.

Conway, who was representing himself, said he felt all right in himself when he left Colchester on Friday night, but realises he shouldn't have been driving. "I'm sorry for that," he said.

Magistrates told Conway because of the consequences of the crash he should be given either a community prohibition or rehabilitation order. They ordered a specific sentence report and told Conway to return to court for sentencing on August 21.