A GRIEVING mother whose daughter was killed while travelling with a drink driver was stunned when she was told a 12-year-old girl had admitted drink driving near Swindon.

Vicky Byrne, 59, of Walcot, who lost her 14-year-old daughter Michelle is now a member of the campaign group Roadsafe.

A 12-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded guilty to drink-driving on Christmas Day after taking her father's car.

The girl was spotted swerving down the B4006 heading towards Aldbourne by a police officer at Liddington.

Police said the teenager was visiting relatives in Walcot when she took her dad's car.

The girl from Thatcham has admitted aggravated vehicle taking, driving without insurance, driving without a licence and driving under the influence of excess alcohol.

She was breathalysed and gave a reading of 65 microgrammes of alcohol per 100mls of breath, the legal limit is 35.

She will be sentenced by magis-trates in Newbury, Berkshire, on January 31. She is Britain's youngest drink-driver.

Magistrates at Swindon Youth Court were told her father called the police at 9pm on Christmas Day when he discovered she had disappeared with his car.

A police search was launched and she was spotted swerving and hitting the kerb.

The girl was the only occupant.

Magistrates have asked for pre-sentence reports, indicating they were thinking of a community-based sentence. She was granted unconditional bail.

Mrs Byrne said: "Questions should be asked as to how she got her hands on the alcohol."

Ben Payne