A 38-YEAR-OLD man who got lost driving from Accrington to the Midlands was eventually stopped driving the wrong way along the hard shoulder of the M6 Toll road.

Blackburn magistrates heard Hungarian Ulrik Posta said he had missed his sign because of lorries on the road in the early hours of the morning.

He ended up travelling north on the south-bound carriageway and told police he was travelling slowly on the hard shoulder with his hazard lights on so other vehicles could see him.

Posta, of Elder Court, Woodside Road, Huncoat, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance. He was made subject to community supervision for 12 months, ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work, fined £250 with £85 costs and banned from driving for 20 months.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said police were called to the Toll Road at 4am after reports of a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction. When he was interviewed Posta said he had been travelling from Huncoat to Redhill when he got lost. When the police stopped him he said he was going “very slowly”.

“This would appear to be a deliberate disregard for the safety of others,” said Miss Allan. “There was extensive risk given the speed of motorway traffic.”

Gareth Price, defending, said Posta had got lost as he drove to Redhill. He found himself on a roundabout anticipating he was going on to the motorway travelling in the correct direction.

“Unfortunately it was the exit slip road as he quickly realised,” said Mr Price. “He drove on the hard shoulder at a very slow speed with all his hazard lights showing looking for a way off.

“He now realises he should have stopped and called for assistance."