A MOTORIST who became 'airborne' at a notorious accident blackspot had his wife and two children in the car, a court heard.

Blackburn magistrates was told a witness walking his dog on the moors above Jackson Heights Road saw the car travelling at speed and was so convinced there was going to be an accident started running towards the scene before it had happened.

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Jez Mitchell, 35, of Brockenhurst Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention.

He was fined £120 with £85 costs and £20 victim surcharge and his licence endorsed with seven penalty points.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the witness was on the moorland above Jackson Heights Road, off the Grane Road, just before 9am.

She said: "He saw a car being driven at what he estimated to be 60mph towards a dip in the road.

"He began to run towards the dip because he knew an accident was about to happen."

Miss Allan said the car driven by Mitchell left the road, rolled several times before ending up at the bottom of a deep ravine.

The children, who had been in the back seat, had managed to get out of the car but Mitchell was still in and was eventually taken away on a body board.

The prosecutor said Mitchell told police he may have been momentarily distracted when the children said they had seen an animal.

Mitchell, who was not represented said he was not doing 60mph.

He told the court: "I had the missus and the kids in the car.

"I did take my eyes off the road but there weren't any warning signs the way I was coming.

"If you come in the opposite direction there are signs."