STOPPING to smoke cannabis at Coate Water cost an accountant almost £300 when he fell asleep and was found by police.

A passing patrol car discovered Adrian Campbell slumped in the driver's seat of his car with a lump of the drug in his hand, magistrates were told.

Colin Meeks, prosecuting said the 28-year-old woke up as the officers approached his vehicle and tried to hide the evidence by throwing the cannabis into the back of his car.

But they found the drug and Campbell, of Woodside Avenue, Lower Walcot, was arrested for possession of about £10 worth of the drug.

When police interviewed him he said he was going to see his his girlfriend, but was early, so went to the car park of the country park to smoke the cannabis.

Tony Nowogrodzki, defending, said: "It was little more than a joint which he had with him for his own personal use. It was an occasional thing he did because he does not drink. He assured me that after this he has stopped smoking cannabis completely."

Campbell, who pleaded guilty to possession of a class B drug, was fined him £180 with £115 costs.