DRINK driver Nick Kilsbie said a woman who snatched the keys from his ignition at a roundabout probably saved his life.

The 32-year-old was more than two-and-a-half times over the limit when he bumped his new Honda Civic off the central reservation and kerb on Queens Drive last Sunday as he drove towards the town centre.

Swindon magistrates put him on a one year probation order, banned him from the road for two years and ordered he pay £55 costs after he pleaded guilty to drink driving.

The court heard motorist Sharon McKenzie was following in her car at 7.25pm and saw the silver car in front weaving across the road, colliding with the middle of the road and then hitting the nearside kerb on numerous occasions.

Magistrates heard she flashed her lights at him to try to get him to stop, but the Honda worker ignored her and continued to the Magic Roundabout.

But when he stopped to let traffic pass in front of him on the roundabout she jumped from her car and banged on his rear windscreen yelling "stop!".

Prosecuting, Olive Catton said: "She opened the front driver's side door and took the keys from the ignition. As she did so, she could smell alcohol on his breath.

"She then dialled 999 and he got out of the car and stood to the rear of the vehicle and waited until police arrived. She said to him: 'Do you know why I stopped you?' to which he replied 'Yes, I have done a stupid thing'. When the police arrived he said 'I know I am over the limit'."

She said he was taken to the police station and found to have 98mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

Miss Catton said that Sharon McKenzie, who worked as a civilian switchboard operator for the police, "showed extreme courage in what she did".

Defending, Martin Rae said Kilsbie, of Whitney Street, Swindon, was "full of remorse.

" and in a state of distress.

He said: "When I read him the statement of Sharon McKenzie he said to me: 'That lady who stopped me probably saved my life and the lives of others'. He felt his driving was that bad."

Kilsbie, he said, had earlier been with friends to a pub, had drunk too much and foolishly decided to drive.

He said that he had been seeing his doctor about depression over the past two years and had already fixed an appointment to talk about his drinking.

Mr Rae said that Kilsbie realised he would be banned and would have to cycle to work at Honda in South Marston when shift patterns meant he could not get public transport.

"He is extremely ashamed for what has happened and wishes, through me, to apologise to the court," he said.