A MAN who drove his Land Rover into a hole in the road in Kidlington has been fined.

Peter Raithby, 53, yesterday admitted driving after drinking at a party.

Maria Jabati, prosecuting, told Banbury magistrates that Raithby was driving in The Moors, Kidlington, on March 18, on his way home from a party at a friend's house nearby.

She said: "He failed to see a Road Closed sign in The Moors and his silver Land Rover Discovery ended up in a large trench.

"It was completely submerged and Raithby was trapped in the vehicle."

Sophie Murray, defending, said Raithby had drunk only three or four cans of bitter at the party before deciding to drive home.

She said: "The reading of 53 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath was at the lower end of the drink-drive scale, and he did not see the Road Closed signs. He waited at the scene for the police and co-operated with them."

The legal limit is 35.

She added: "He is very remorseful and is grateful that no-one else was involved in the incident."

Raithby, of The Caravan Site, Islip Road, Bletchingdon, was fined £225 and banned from driving for a year. He was also told to pay £43 in costs.