A drink driver who drove dangerously through Bristol as he tried to outrun police has been spared jail.

Guy Fisher was nearly twice the legal drink-drive limit when he got behind the wheel of a Peugeot in the city. He raced through 30mph zones and jumped red lights when police gave chase but was forced to stop after driving into a kerb and damaging the vehicle.

The 19-year-old bricklayer, of Charlton Road, Brentry, later pleaded guilty to one charge of drink driving and one charge of dangerous driving. He was handed a 12-month community order, told to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in the community, was curfewed to his home address for two months from 8pm to 6am and disqualified from driving for 18 months.

He will have to take an extended re-test before he drives again.

Julian Howells, prosecuting at Bristol Crown Court, said officers were patrolling in Cheltenham Road in the early hours of June 30 this year when they spotted Fisher driving the Peugeot at 60mph in a 30mph zone.

The car then jumped red lights and sped down Ashley Road then City Road before police caught up with the vehicle which went through another red light before stopping.

The court heard that Fisher had hit a kerb, deflating a tyre, damaging an axle and taking a chunk out of the body work.

The defendant had tried to flee the scene but was chased and arrested.

Tabitha Macfarlane, defending, said her client had described his driving to police as "pathetic, dangerous and stupid".

Sentencing Fisher, Judge Michael Road said: "You should know with alcohol in your system driving is dangerous.

"It made you think you could drive. You could not. You drove and tried to break the chase. It was poor driving. You rightly described it.

"On the other hand you pleaded guilty and have no previous convictions and are a man of good character. In my judgement though this could merit a prison sentence, it's not going to receive one."