A businessman who raced to the aid of a friend in distress said his good deed could cost him his livelihood.

Simon Jordan, 38, believes he will be forced to close down his kitchen company after being banned from the road.

Jordan appealed against a two-year disqualification on the grounds he will not be able to run the firm without a driving licence.

But his appeal was rejected at a hearing at Lewes Crown Court yesterday.

Jordan, of Cornford Close, Portslade, was banned from the road by Brighton magistrates in February after he admitted driving with excess alcohol.

A breath test showed he was two-and-a-half times over the legal drink-drive limit.

The court heard that night he had no intention of driving but received a call in the early hours from a female friend in distress during a violent row with her partner.

Rebecca Upton, representing Jordan, said he feared she would be the victim of an assault and decided to collect her and her daughter from their home and drive to the Langfords Hotel in Third Avenue, Hove, where he intended to book them in for safety.

He was stopped by police outside the hotel.

Judge Richard Hayward rejected the appeal and upheld the original sentence.

Jordan was ordered to pay £184 costs for the appeal hearing.

The costs were added to a £100 fine from his original hearing.