Cold Feet star John Thomson has been banned from driving for three years by magistrates after admitting drink driving.

Tests showed the 33-year-old actor, of Didsbury in Greater Manchester drove while he was more than twice the legal drink-drive limit.

He was stopped by police in Burton Road in Manchester on 4 August last year.

On Wednesday Thomson was also given a 12-month rehabilitation order, which magistrates said would have lasted 18 months if he had not pleaded guilty.

Looked nervous

He committed a similar drink-driving offence in 1996 and speeding offences in 2000 and 2001,

Magistrates in Trafford warned the actor he would face a prison sentence if he flouted the driving ban.

The hearing was told Thomson said "it's a fair cop" when officers breathalysed him after stopping his Jaguar.

A breath test gave a reading of 87 microgrammes of alcohol - the legal limit is 35.

Dressed in a dark grey suit with blue shirt and gold and black striped tie, Thomson, looked nervous throughout the hearing.

Alcohol education

Magistrate Cathy Roberts told Thomson that by admitting his offence he had kept his punishment shorter.

"Had it not been for your earlier guilty plea, it would have been 18 months," she said.

Thomson was also ordered to pay �60 court costs.

The rehabilitation order will be reduced to nine months if Thomson chooses to go on an alcohol education course and completes it by October 2004, she said.

In an ironic twist, Thomson is currently appearing in a television advert for LloydsTSB car insurance in which he is involved in a car accident.

A spokesman for the company said: "The situation with John is currently under review.

"The next airing of the advert is scheduled for Friday and at the moment that will still go ahead."

Award nominee

Cold Feet, which features six 30-something friends, has been named best television comedy three times.

A fifth series is currently being planned for the end of this year.

Thomson was nominated for best television comedy actor at the 2001 British comedy awards.

He has also made appearances in The Fast Show and Playing the Field.