POLICE who attended a single vehicle collision found a badly damaged car with a lot of blood inside it.

Blackburn magistrates heard the occupants had left the scene but one returned as the officers were examining the scene and asked them to get him medical assistance.

Paul Mark Neild, 50, of the Millstone Hotel, Darwen, pleaded guilty to failing to stop after an accident and driving without due care and attention.

He was ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work, pay £85 costs and £85 victim surcharge and his licence endorsed with nine penalty points.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said the passenger who returned to the scene refused to name the driver or who else was in the car.

Neild contacted the police the following day and admitted he had been driving.

Mr Robinson said: “He accepted responsibility but said road conditions, it was cold and frosty, hadn’t helped.

“He was asked if he had been drinking and said he had one or two pints.”

Gareth Price, defending, said Neild had been dropping the other occupants off and there was no suggestion he had been drinking.

He said: “He contacted the police the next day, he didn’t wait for them to come for him.”