A NURSE who was more than twice the alcohol limit when she crashed into a trailer has urged others not to drink-drive, saying she 'could have killed someone'.

Susan Cross was driving on the A44 in Worcester on March 19 when she hit the back of a trailer attached to a transit van after she became distracted with thoughts of her dog who had recently died.

Police breathalysed her and she had 112 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Cross appeared emotional in the dock as she appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court to face a drink drive charge.

Speaking after her conviction, she said: "The reason I was so upset in court is because I have looked after children and parents who have been killed by drink-drivers. I am just very relieved because I could have hurt someone.

“I am so relieved because if I had carried on driving something terrible might have happened.

"It is pure luck that no-one was hurt. It has meant that I have learnt from it, and I am grateful that I didn’t learn the hard way.”

Cross, 57, added: “I have been beating myself up really badly about it. Years ago I worked at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and we had a young lad, he was knocked off his bike by a drink-driver.

"Those things keep coming back to haunt me. I did something very, very wrong.”

Cross, of Sentinel Close, Worcester, has worked as a nurse since 1984 and has no previous convictions.

Her solicitor told magistrates she had been dealing with 'various problems' including the breakdown of her marriage.

Cross, who has two children in their 20s, also recently had to have her dog put down.

She said he used to sit in the passenger seat when she was driving and that she was thinking about him the night of the crash.

“I was distracted because I was looking down thinking ‘where are you?’ and I just went into the back of the trailer.”

Cross said her emotional issues are 'no excuse', adding: “I made that decision. I probably wasn’t thinking straight. My main thing has been what a stupid mistake it was. I wouldn’t want this to happen to anyone else. I am very ashamed.”

Cross had been watching a film at home and says she didn't realise she would be over the limit. "I just got in the car, it was a really, really stupid mistake."

"A lot of people drive over the limit and you just don’t know how it affects your brain."

Cross was disqualified from driving for 26 months and fined £300.

She appeared in court on Thursday, April 11.