A WOMAN who drove along a closed road moments before a carnival parade was due did not stop as she thought the police office flagging her down was only waving at her, a court heard.

The main road through Barnard Castle was closed and lined with hundreds of spectators waiting for the town’s Meet parade on June 4 when Sonya Moore drove along it.

The 43-year-old, of Railway Terrace in the town, then turned into King Street, but carried on, despite the efforts of a police officer to stop her.

In a letter to Newton Aycliffe magistrates, Moore admitted by letter failing to stop when directed by a policeman.

She said she had joined the main road at a point where there were no closed signs and had not stopped as she misunderstood the officer’s hand signals.

Moore said: “I did not realise his raised hand meant me to stop – I thought he was waving at me.”

Magistrates ordered her to pay a total of £135 and added three penalty points to her licence.