A fire chief who lost his job after he crashed his car while drink driving cost a fire service almost £100,000 by claiming he was unfairly dismissed, it emerged today.

Paul Holland was sacked after he drunk five pints of beer while off-duty and then lost control of his car and crashed.

The Area Commander admitted drink driving at Wycombe Magistrates' Court in June 2017 and the lost his £73,000 a year job.

However, Mr Holland later claimed he had been "unfairly discriminated against" and appealed his dismissal but lost.

It has since emerged that it cost Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority £98,155.14 to defend the case against them.

Councillor Lesley Clarke OBE, Chairman of Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority said: "The cost of defending our decision was £98,155.14.

"Not defending it, which we estimate would have cost at least £250,000 and possibly considerably more, would have caused immeasurable damage to the confidence that the public, our staff and blue-light partners have in us.

"The Employment Tribunal Judge - Judge Heal - had all the information available presented to her.

"Her decision and reasons are set out in her judgment. The Equality and Diversity section of the report is fully explanatory.

"I believe it was a regrettable event for all concerned."

After crashing his car while on a night out with two colleagues on May 5, 2017, Mr Holland was given a driving ban and a fine.

An employment tribunal later heard how a colleague had called Mr Holland a taxi but he instead chose to drive the 7.5-mile journey home.

He then lost control of his car and, after crashing his car, banged his head and leg, said the judge's report.

As a result of his conviction, he was also suspended from his duties pending an independent external investigation.

The investigation concluded he should be dismissed but Mr Holland, launched an employment tribunal claim against Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority.

He claimed he had been unfairly dismissed and "unfairly discriminated against" and sought to be reinstated as Area Commander.

Mr Holland also fought to be given compensation totalling around £250,000.

The judge found last month that fire bosses had acted correctly and properly in dismissing him.

He had previously been responsible for training firefighters all across Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire.

Mr Holland had 20 years of service and 23 years of driving with no points, at the time of his dismissal.

During the appeals process Mr Holland's solicitor said his client had been suffering from previously undiagnosed post traumatic stress disorder since 2010, following a fire in which two people had died.

His father, Peter Holland CBE has been chief Fire and Rescue Advisor for the UK government since 2013 and was awarded the CBE in 2010 for services to local government.