Dancer goes on as crash driver banned (From Wiltshire Times)

Dancer goes on as crash driver banned

10:40am Friday 2nd November 2012 in News

THE drink-driver who halted a Bradford on Avon man’s charity dancing challenge has been banned from getting behind the wheel for 28 months.

Former St Laurence student Ben Hammond was attempting to dance from John O’Groats to Land’s End when he was hit by Alanna Rugg on the A39 in Polsham, Somerset.

Rugg, 25, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident when she appeared before South Somerset Magistrates’ Court.

Mr Hammond was dancing to Glastonbury with his support tricycle late on October 3 when they were both hit by Rugg. He had hoped to raise £50,000 for disadvantaged people in Burma.

Rugg, from Wookey, was found to have an alcohol reading of 112mcgs in 100ml of breath– more than three times the legal limit.

She must serve 120 hours of community service, and the ban could be reduced by 213 days if she undertakes a drink-driving rehabilitation course.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Mr Hammond, who works at the Institute of Education in London, returns to the scene of the crash to re-start his fundraising marathon dance.

Mr Hammond, 34, said: “I’m absolutely looking forward to it and I’ve been getting a bit restless to complete it. My legs will obviously be a little weaker after not doing it for about a month and this is a slightly slimmed down version because I’ll have a smaller support team but I’m still tremendously excited.”

This weekend he hopes to cover around 25 miles, from Polsman to Taunton. He can now only dance at weekends and expects to reach Land’s End on December 1.