A MAN at the wheel of a van who crushed a roadsweeper has admitted driving without due care and attention.

Peter Eastwood, 39, of Haworth Street, Rishton, was driving his Ford Transit, in Blackburn Old Road, Great Harwood, on the morning of August 5.

Hyndburn Magistrates’ Court heard that he came round a left-hand bend in the road, heading towards the Spice Lounge, at 10.15am.

A three-ton £70,000 Hyndburn Council road-sweeper, driven by Mick Daley, was travelling at approximately 3 to 4mph in the same direction, cleaning the carriageway, with its high-intensity flashing amber warning beacons on the roof.

Eastwood smashed into the back of the vehicle, shoving it into a dry stone wall and flipping it over.

Eastwood’s van hit a tree. Both were write-offs.

The road was closed at its junction with Wilpshire Road.

Mr Daley, 41, was taken out of the wreckage on a spinal board and transported to hospital with suspected back injuries.

Eastwood needed cutting out of the wreckage by firefighters, and lost some of his teeth in the collision.

At court last week, Eastwood pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention.

A further charge of driving without insurance was adjourned for him to produce documents.

A third offence of driving without a licence was withdrawn. He will appear again in January.

At the time, Eastwood told the Lancashire Telegraph that it was a ‘genuine accident’ and that he could not avoid the road-sweeper as he rounded the corner.