Farmer Alan Pill was caught drink driving after working up to 20 hours a day harvesting, magistrates heard.

Jan Davies, prosecuting at Didcot court, said Pill, 54, of Gibbs Cottage, East Hendred, told police he had drunk three or four glasses of wine on an empty stomach before driving home.

In a statement, he said he felt fine and was surprised to learn he was over the limit. A breath test showed 58 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Robin Smith, defending, said: "This time of year is extremely busy and he had been working 18 and 20 hour days."

He said Pill had been corn drying that day and was completely shattered before going to the pub.

Pill, who admitted driving his Isuzu Trooper on Newbury Road, East Hendred, with excess alcohol, was fined £400 with £50 costs and banned from driving for a year.

Mr Smith said the consequences of Pill losing his licence were serious because his farm was spread across a number of public roads where it was necessary to move farm machinery.