A signalman responsible for the safety of four railway crossings who went on a drinking session before his shift has been jailed for 60 days.

Paul Clear, 57, nodded off in his signal box and was later found to be nearly twice the legal drink-drive limit.

Clear, of North Lane, East Preston, had earlier admitted at Worthing Magistrates' Court working on the railway having consumed excess alcohol.

The court had been told he was responsible for monitoring the safety of four level crossings on the Brighton-Worthing line.

He was found slumped in the corner of the signalbox at Lancing station by colleagues who immediately raised the alarm.

Peter Lytle, prosecuting, said the offence happened on September 16 last year when Clear was working with two other members of staff.

Kirsten Sharp, defending, told the court that Clear, a father of six, had been sacked and "bitterly regretted" what had happened.

She said he was now seeking medical help at his own expense and was selling his property to pay for it.

Miss Sharp said: "There was a potential risk on this occasion and not an actual risk.

"He was holding up trains and not having them careering into each other".

She also told the court that Clear was at risk of "self harm" because of trauma caused by the publicity which had surrounded the case.

She said: "I would argue he is a man who has suffered enough".

District judge Paul Tain told Clear that the case was so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified.

He told him: "Whether you were stopping or starting trains or doing anything else you were unequivocally, categorically and seriously putting members of the travelling public at risk in a way which is manifest to all of us."