WHEN gentleman of the road Mel Bird inherited £7,800 he thought his troubles were over - in fact they were just beginning.

The bearded tramp - who is partial to an odd tipple or three - quickly decided to give his feet a rest by purchasing a 16-year-old car to motor round the scenic roads of his adopted home in Leyburn, North Yorkshire.

But last night magistrates put the skids under his good fortune after an excursion to nearby Northallerton to open a bank account ended in a six-month prison sentence.

For when the well-educated 58-year-old splashed out £150 on the D-registered Volvo, he failed to recall he was already banned from driving.

Police who stopped him in Northallerton's High Street on September 27 also found that he had no insurance and was four times over the drink-drive limit.

Bird and his two dogs first hit the headlines after Leyburn Town Council tried to evict him from his favoured market shelter haunt after complaints of foul language, empty beer and cider cans, urine and dog excrement.

He counted Lady Bolton, whose family own the Castle Bolton estate, among those who supported his "sartorial style". However, Lady Bolton has since changed her opinion, saying that his behaviour has grown worse.

At the time, Bird told The Northern Echo that it was difficult for him not to drink alcohol if his friends did, saying: "There's no water supply where I live and I don't like water anyway."

Yesterday, Richmond magistrates heard how Bird inherited the money after the death of his mother in April, which caused him to "hit the bottle".

Peter Furness, mitigating, said: "When he was stopped, he had not been drinking that day. The high level of alcohol in his breath was as a result of a heavy night's drinking the night before.

"He is known in Leyburn where he lives in a caravan with his dogs. People know him as a vagrant, or as a tramp, who is often seen drinking in the market place during the day - sometimes perhaps even drinking too much."

Bird, of Moor Road, Leyburn, admitted drink-driving, driving while disqualified and with no insurance and was given a total of six months in prison.

Mr Furness told the court that Bird bought the car believing a ten-year ban imposed for his fourth drink-driving offence in 1984 had expired.

However, he had forgotten his punishment also included a condition that he passed another driving test before he reclaimed his licence.

"This is not a case of him flagrantly ignoring the law," he added.

"He was simply unaware that he still had to pass a test before he could drive."

However, despite a character reference given by Bird's friend, Betty Grass, magistrates remained unswayed and decided custody was the only appropriate punishment.

Mr Furness confirmed Bird is to appeal - although he is also due to appear at the same court next month to face two separate charges of threatening or disorderly conduct.