Former Bucks Fizz singer and burger flipper David Van Day was banned from driving today and warned he will be jailed if he gets behind the wheel in the next 12 months.

The failed East Brighton Ward Tory councillor, 57, was given the blunt message after he lost his licence and was fined £275 for drink-driving.

Day, now a public relations worker, was arrested at 11.45pm on Saturday (June 23) driving his Chrysler Cruiser on Dyke Road Avenue.

A breath test revealed he had 47 mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 35 mg.

Day, of Woodruff Avenue, Hove, admitted driving a motor vehicle with excess alcohol at Brighton Magistrates Court.

Prosecutor Martina Sherlock said: "The vehicle was seen to move into the near-side lane and straddle the cycle lane.

"It was followed for a short distance then stopped by the officers. The driver was Mr Day.

"He made admissions he'd had a drink that evening and the officers went on to say they required him to provide a roadside specimen.

"He provided that sample of breath which indicated the positive presence of alcohol."

Wearing a black suit, white shirt and blue tie, the former star spoke only to confirm his name and enter his plea.

The court heard he has a previous conviction for speeding in 2005 when he was slapped with three points on his licence.

Defending, Andreas Serghis told the court father-of-two Day had been promoting two charities and had not eaten all day after suffering an abscess.

He said: "He is ashamed, embarassed and remorseful. He is a man who has previously been in the public eye. People will be looking at him, judging him, and all of that presents great humiliation.

"He doesn't recall having too many drinks but didn't for one minute believe he was over the limit.

"What most probably clouded his judgement and affected the level of alcohol in his system was that he had a very serious abscess at the time and was in some pain.

"Because of that he had not eaten anything. If he had eaten something it's very likely he would have been under the limit, although that's not an excuse.

"At the end of the day this man should not have had a drink."

Magistrates banned Van Day from driving for a year but the court heard the disqualification could be cut by up to three months if he completes a drink driving rehabilitation course. They also ordered him to pay £43 costs.

Court clerk Linda Matthews told Day: "You must not drive a car for the next 12 months.

"If you do that is a serious offence of driving while disqualified and most magistrates will think about sending you to prison for the charges, so don't do it."

Afterwards, Mr Van Day said: "I was just that one drink over the limit. It's very unfortunate. I'm disappointed and I regret it."

Day - real name David Day - was a singer with Seventies group Dollar who had Top Ten hits with Mirror, Mirror and Give Me Back My Heart.

He later joined Bucks Fizz in 1996 after they won The Eurovision Song Contest with Making Your Mind Up in 1981.

The singer gained the nickname 'Burger van Day' after appearing in a commercial for Virgin Mobile working on a burger stand and used to run a waffle and ice-cream stand in Brighton.

In May he stood as a Conservative candidate for Brighton and Hove City Council in the East Brighton Ward but failed to be elected.