An Amazon delivery driver crashed his van and ended up in a ditch after downing beers on the way home from his rounds.

Radu Vulpe, 34, was at the wheel of his Amazon Mercedes Vito delivery van when he crashed it into a chevron and then a road sign before ending up in the ditch in Station Road, Staplehurst.

When the emergency services arrived, Vulpe was taken to hospital to get checked over and was then given a breath test which proved positive.

Vulpe, of Smugglers, in Hawkhurst, gave a reading of 62 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

He was charged with drink driving and pleaded guilty to the offence when he appeared before magistrates in Maidstone on January 3.

The court heard Vulpe crashed the van he was driving on November 29 last year, at about 8.40pm and told officers he had been distracted by his watch.

Debbie Jones, prosecuting, said: "He told officers there had been a notification on his watch and then he hit a chevron and road furniture and ended up in a ditch. He told officers at the station he'd had a couple of beers on the way home."

The court also heard Vulpe had given up his job for the online retail giant after being charged as he knew he would be banned from the road and had found other employment in the construction industry.

Magistrates were also told Amazon had held his wages over the damage to the van and that he was still in discussions with the firm about that issue.

The bench decided to ban Vulpe from driving for 17 months and fined him £300 and ordered he pay a victim surcharge of £120 and £85 costs.

If he completes a drink-driving course, his ban will be reduced by a quarter.