A PENSIONER was so drunk he failed to notice he was driving the wrong way down a busy road.

The police were called after members of the public spotted Godfrey Maclauchlan, 78, of Crown Road, Billericay, driving his blue Ford Mondeo north on the Southbound carriageway of the A24, in Sussex.

A patrol car followed him for four miles, but Maclauchlan did not notice the flashing lights and sirens.

He was spotted weaving in and out of the gutter and travelling at 30mph on a 50mph stretch of the road.

When officers finally got Maclauchlan to pull over at Cowfold, West Sussex, they found he had been driving with his window open despite the rain.

In footage, which has been released by police, Maclauchlan can be seen stumbling out of his car to face the police.

The confused pensioner can be heard telling officers to "stop using adjectives" as they explain he is under arrest for failing a breathalyser test.

Maclauchlan was caught at about 6am on Tuesday, June 2, as part of a summer crackdown by Sussex Police on drink and drug-driving, dubbed Operation Dragonfly.

During an appearance at Crawley Magistrates Court, he pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

Maclauchlan was banned from getting behind the wheel again for a year, fined £250, and ordered to pay costs of £235 and a £25 victim surcharge.

Chief Insp Phil Nicholas, of Sussex and Surrey roads policing unit, said: "The case of Maclauchlan shows yet again that it isn't only the young or middle aged that decide to drink-drive.

"Getting behind the wheel after you have had a drink puts not just yourself in danger but everyone else on the roads that you might meet.

"We are determined to catch those whose selfish behaviour endangers others and I would urge anyone who suspects someone is drink-driving to contact us immediately."