A BURNLEY mother-of-two was “squashed” between vehicles when she was hit by a pensioner driving his motability car, a court heard.

Janet Mee ended up in hospital for nine days after she was struck by ex-miner John Gilbert Kershaw’s Vauxhall Insignia on Laithe Street, last December 13.

Mrs Mee was putting her two young children in her Volkswagen Sharan when the accident happened, Burnley magistrates were told.

The victim, a full-time student at Burnley College, was left lying in the road in pain and shock when Kershaw was said to have quickly driven off.

She suffered injuries to her back, hip and leg, causing “a certain amount of disability” and missed three months of her college course.

Kershaw, 65, who formerly worked in a mine rescue team, claimed he clipped Mrs Mee with his wing mirror and didn’t see her fall to the ground.

The defendant, of Healey Wood Road, Burnley, admitted driving without due care and attention and falling to report a road accident. He was given a two- year conditional discharge, six points on his licence and must pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, said at about 3.55pm, Mrs Mee saw a car heading towards her, with its engine revving quite loudly.

She quickly pushed her son in the vehicle, flattened herself against the side of it and then, she said “everything went in slow motion.” She believed she was hit by the wing or the passenger door of the vehicle and she was squashed between her own car and the Vauxhall.

Miss Akhtar told the court Mrs Mee would say the car that struck her stopped for two or three seconds about two car lengths away and then drove off with the wheels spinning.

David Leach, for Kershaw, told the hearing: “He is not a boy racer. He is a senior citizen.” Mr Leach said Kershaw would say he saw her on her feet and felt he had no reason to get out of his car and make any enquiries.

The solicitor, who said the defendant had the motability car because of emphysema, said: “He is horrified to find she has been in hospital.

“He is genuinely remorseful for the injuries this lady has suffered."