AN elderly worshipper was sent flying after a car mounted the pavement and knocked him into a wall as he left a Blackburn mosque after morning prayer.

Blackburn magistrates heard that the car driven by Sajab Ajaib crashed into a bollard before hitting the man, who was taken to hospital.

Ajaib started to drive off and when his car stalled he and the passenger got out of the car and ran off. Ajaib, 25, of Cedar Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and failing to stop.

He was fined £140 with £55 costs and disqualified from driving for six months.

Wendy Chappell, prosecuting, said Ajaib had been convicted of the same two offences in March of this year.

She said in the latest incident a Mr Shah had been walking along Oak Street when he saw a car coming towards him at speed.

The car was zigzagging across the road and suddenly veered across the road, mounted the pavement and crashed into the bollard.

The car spun round and crashed into Mr Shah, throwing him against the wall of a house. She said that in the early hours of the following morning Ajaib attended at the police station and admitted the incident, saying he had been distracted by his friend asking for a cigarette.

Michael Blacklidge, defending, said Ajaib was full of remorse following the incident.