The captain of a container ship has avoided an immediate prison sentence after being in charge of his vessel nearly four times over the drink limit.

Polish national Zbigniew Chowaniec, 65, admitted a seafaring offence after police boarded his vessel in Felixstowe on 15 January.

He has been given an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and fined £494.

Chowaniec said he was "truly sorry" and his career as a captain was over.

He was in charge of the MSC Roshney V, which had travelled from the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium and was heading to Canakkale in Turkey.

Ipswich Crown Court heard port officers boarded the 965ft (300m) long ship at about 07:15 GMT and that Chowaniec smelled strongly of alcohol.

He was arrested and taken to Martlesham Police Investigation Centre, where a breathalyser test produced a reading of 93 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

The legal alcohol limit for seafarers, set by the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Convention, is 25 micrograms per 100ml.

Chowaniec was charged with being master of a ship exceeding limits of alcohol in breath.

Judge David Wilson said he was a "man of previous good character" and he "does not present a risk or danger to the public".

He added that if Chowaniec were to commit another offence he could be jailed.