A young man has admitted being more than twice the drink-drive limit after he was caught riding a mobility scooter along an Ipswich road in an early morning jaunt.

Edward Van Bishop, of Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, is awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to driving a motor vehicle while above the legal alcohol limit.

Van Bishop entered his plea when he appeared before South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court.

After police stopped the 23-year-old next to a garage in Woodbridge Road East an officer is said to have also discovered the scooter’s tax disc was three years out of date.

Van Bishop was stopped at around 1.40am on Easter bank holiday Monday, three days before his 23rd birthday.

He was reported to have been heading out of town when he was spotted riding along the road.

Van Bishop was then seen to drive on to the pavement before he was stopped.

He told police he believed he was allowed to ride the scooter as it did not have an engine and was battery operated.

While talking to police an officer smelled alcohol on Van Bishop’s breath and asked him to take a roadside breath test.

Following a positive indication he was arrested on suspicion of being drunk in charge of a motor controlled vehicle.

A further breath test on an intoximeter at the police investigation centre at Suffolk Constabulary’s Martlesham headquarters showed Van Bishop had 79 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 mcgs.

Magistrates have adjourned the case for a pre-sentencing report.

Van Bishop was released on conditional bail.

He must return to court for his sentencing on June 2.