A GRIEVING father today revealed his family had forgiven the speeding driver who killed his nine-year-old daughter.

Shafqat Hussain, 29, who has himself become a father just days ago, was jailed for nine months at Burnley Crown Court yesterday for causing death by dangerous driving.

The court heard that he must have been doing more than twice the 30mph speed limit before he ploughed into nine-year-old Shaista Aslam, as she made her way home on Carr Road, Nelson, in May last year.

Today Shaista's father, Mohammed Aslam, who was in court to hear the verdict, said the pain of the tragedy was with him every day but he had forgiven Hussain.

"We forgave him at the beginning," said Mr Aslam, 47, of Milton Street, Nelson.

"We know he wouldn't have done it deliberately.

"The only way we can forgive is in believing that it was an act of God and it was meant to happen and that's the only way we can go on.

"Being a Muslim we do believe she had to have that accident at that time."

Mr Aslam said Shaista's family visited her grave in Walton Lane cemetery, Nelson, every day. "Still the pain of all this is there and it will be there for a very long time," he added.

Mr Aslam said he spoke with Hussain's family shortly after Shaista's death but now he can not bear to see them in the street because it brings back painful memories. Mr Aslam said the overwhelming support of local people had helped the family through the tragedy.

Sentencing the defendant, Judge Raymond Bennett said if he had been going at the proper speed, he would not have reached the place where she was crossing the road and the girl would not have lost her life.

He said she had been thrown 12 feet into the air and the defendant's car travelled on for a number of metres.

The judge said Hussain must have been doing more than twice the speed limit which was "grossly excessive," and a prison sentence had to be passed to mark what he had done and to show others custody was a likely outcome if they did the same.

Hussain, of Manchester Road, Nelson, was recently convicted by a jury. He was banned from driving for two and a half years.

Tim Brennand, prosecuting, said Shaista died from her injuries six days after the accident, which happened on May 31, last year.

It happened near a children's playground and skid marks on the road indicated the defendant was doing at least 56mph on the 30mph road before he hit the girl.

One woman nearby had been nearly knocked off her feet by the "slip stream," from the defendant's Mitsubishi Spacewagon as he passed and an ice cream man in the area heard an engine revving.

One witness thought she may have seen Hussain using a mobile telephone, but in cross-examination in court, she had not been sure about that.

Mr Brennand said when interviewed by police, Hussain said the little girl ran out in front of him and he just could not stop in time.

He claimed he had been doing 30 to 35 mph but later said he might have been doing 45mph.

Michael Lavery, defending, said whatever feelings of remorse Hussain had would not bring Shaista back.

He would never forget he had taken the life of a nine-year-old girl through his dangerous driving and lived with it every day.

Hussain had nightmares about what had happened.

Hussain had become a father in the last few days and his wife was still in hospital with their child.