A US airman faces demotion and ‘hard labour’ for driving off a Suffolk base to pick up fast food while over the alcohol limit.

Zachariah Almeida's Honda Accord was stopped by security at RAF Mildenhall after being seen driven erratically at about 2.25am on June 2.

The 20-year-old was arrested by Suffolk police and found to have 52 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit being 35mcg.

Almeida, who admitted drink-driving at Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, had consumed vodka during a 'cookout' on the base, but later decided to make the journey by public road to the Barton Mills branch of McDonald's.

Solicitor Declan Gallagher said the Aircraftman First Class rank would likely "lose a stripe", take a cut in salary and face hard labour duties around the base.

Almeida was banned from driving for 15 months and fined £193.