Thomas George Preston hit a Mondeo, in which an occupant was hurt, but it could not be said the smash was his fault.

Police, who scrambled the force helicopter, followed a trail of damage in the road from the accident site down the road and found the Aston Martin in a barn at a nearby farm.

The passenger was arrested in a field and Preston went to the police station by arrangement within days.

Pennine magistrates heard how before the collision Preston had overtaken a woman driving with her child and mother and she thought he was clocking up 80mph.

The defendant, who has never been in trouble before and is due to marry on July 11th, admitted dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident and failing to report it.

Preston (28), of Malham View Close, Barnoldswick, was given 18 weeks in jail, suspended for a year, with 240 hours' unpaid work. He was banned for 15 months, must pay £50 costs and was ordered to take an extended retest.

Mr Andrew Robinson (prosecuting) said about 6-50 pm. on May 31st, a woman was driving towards Barnoldswick in Barnoldswick Road, Blacko, when an Aston Martin passed her at speed.

She came to the junction less than a minute away and saw an accident had happened involving the Aston Martin. One person was hurt at the side of the road.

Mr Robinson said, in the accident, the Aston Martin lost one of its wheels completely but Preston carried on for one and a half miles. A witness at a pub saw sparks flying from the vehicle.

Police followed the damage to a nearby farm. Officers found deep marks in the road surface.

The prosecutor said Preston later went into the police station and made a statement. He admitted he had been the driver and accepted he had not stopped.

Mr Graeme Tindall (for Preston) described him as solid and dependable.

The solicitor said the vehicle the defendant had overtaken had been doing 40 mph. He did not accept he was going at 80 mph.

The accident was not as a result of the dangerous driving. The dangerous driving was after the accident. Preston had driven away in a blind panic as he had never been in trouble before.