Five people who were caught drink driving have been fined a total of nearly £1,000 and banned from driving for more than eight years.

The five drivers were all caught behind the wheel in Carlisle last month with more alcohol in their breath than was legal.

They all pleaded guilty when the appeared before magistrates sitting in Carlisle. Magistrates fined and disqualified the drivers and imposed a community order on the worst offender.

A Cumbria Police spokesman said: “Our officers regularly see the consequence of drink-driving and for those we catch those consequences can mean the loss of jobs as well as driving licenses. However, they may be the fortunate ones. Some people who drink or take drugs and get behind the wheel will, sadly, not make it home in one piece."

Shirley Barton, 39, of Deer Park, Wigton, must complete 200 hours of unpaid work after she had was more than three times over the alcohol limit. Barton has also been disqualified from driving for two years and 10 months.

She drove with 125mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – the legal limit is 35mcg - on Durdar Road, Carlisle, on Saturday, April 29. Barton must also pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £85.

Paul Stone, 37, of St James Road, Carlisle, was more than double over the limit when he was caught driving his Ford Fiesta on Dalston Road on Thursday, April 27. He had 89mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath

Stone pleaded guilty to drink driving and driving without a licence or insurance when he appeared before magistrates. He was disqualified for 22 months, fined and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £54 and costs of £85.

Martin Jones, 30, of Lund Crescent, Currock, Carlisle, drove his Rover 45 on Jubilee Road in the city with 64mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. He was fined £120 and banned from driving for 18 months. He must also a victim surcharge of £30 and court costs of £85.

Sean Campbell, 20, of Whitesmiths Cottages, Dalston, was disqualified for 17 months after he was caught with 60 mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath in Carlisle on Saturday, April 29.

Finally, Gary Sullivan, 32, of Warnell Drive, Harraby, Carlisle, was caught driving with 59mcg of alcohol in 100ml of his breath along Windermere Road, off Wigton Road, on Thursday, April 27.

Sullivan was fined £120 and disqualified for 16 months. Campbell and Sullivan must pay the same court costs as Jones.