Birmingham City footballer Jermaine Pennant has dropped his appeal against a three-month prison sentence for drink-driving while banned.

The 22-year-old star, who is on loan from Arsenal, was jailed last week at Aylesbury Magistrates Court after being stopped by police who saw him driving a Mercedes with a lamppost dragging under it.

He admitted drink driving, driving while disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance and was also banned from driving for three years.

Pennant's solicitor, Barry Warburton, lodged an appeal immediately after he was sentenced and it was expected the hearing would take place at Aylesbury Crown Court within days.

But a member of staff at the court said that the appeal had been dropped.

Mr Warburton confirmed the move but declined to comment further and Pennant's agent, Sky Andrew, also said he could not provide any details.

Pennant is serving his sentence at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

When Pennant was stopped by police his eyes were glazed and his speech was slurred, the court was told. A breath test found that he was almost two-and-a-half times the legal alcohol limit with 85 micrograms per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

The court heard he was en route from his home in Barnet, Hertfordshire, to visit his girlfriend in Bristol and the Mercedes' satellite navigation system had directed him to travel via Aylesbury.

Mr Warburton told the court Pennant, who had only "intermittent" schooling, believed he was safe to drive after a previous ban because his aunt Diana had read a letter to him from the DVLA and told him so.