A DRINK-DRIVER crashed after an argument with her partner following a 'disastrous' DIY incident.

Irute Ripkauskiene admitted drink-driving and speeding when she appeared before magistrates in Hereford.

Ripkauskiene was driving a Renault Captur on the A4103 towards Hereford at Fromes Hill when she was captured by a police motorcyclist at 58 miles per hour in a 40 zone, prosecutor Mark Hambling said.

The officer followed her and witnessed as she crossed the white centre lines and crashed with an oncoming Ford Fiesta.

Ripkjauskiene was arrested after failing a roadside breath test and taken to Hereford County Hospital, where checks confirmed she had been uninjured.

A breath test later taken at Hereford Police Station revealed that she had 44 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Chris Read, for Rikauskiene, said the 51-year-old had been returning home from a holiday after flying in to Birmingham Airport.

"Her partner was due to pick her up, but while she was away she had been made aware that he had carried out some DIY at home which had gone really disastrously wrong, so when he arrived several hours late she was understandably very upset," Mr Read said.

"She had drunk some alcohol at the airport and had not had any intention of driving, but during the journey an argument got very heated and it reached a point where she demanded he stop the car. The argument carried on outside the car and she got in and drove off."

But, Mr Read said, Ripkauskiene had drifted over the white lines and crashed into another car when her attention wandered.

Ripkauskiene, of Hawthorn Grove, Hereford, was disqualified from driving for 14 months and fined £300. She must also pay costs of £135 and a £34 victim surcharge.