A DRIVER ploughed into a woman, sending her flying through the air, after overtaking a car on a busy main road.

Mum-of-two Joanne Haworth was left with a dislocated hip and fractured pelvis after being hit by VW Polo driver Thomas Longworth on the afternoon of May 15 last year.

Bolton Crown Court heard that he had been driving at up to 54mph in a 30mph limit. Longworth pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for 18 months.

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh told him: "I accept you have genuine remorse, but to drive in a manner such as this in a location such as this creates a gross and obvious risk of causing serious injury."

Alison Mather, prosecuting, told the court that Ms Haworth had been driving home along Bolton Road, Pendlebury, when she stopped to go to the post office.

She had a good view of the road and a silver car, pulling out of a side road saw her trying to cross.

""It slowed down when it saw her and allowed her to pass," said Miss Mather.

But Longworth, speeding in his Polo, overtook the silver car and collided with Ms Haworth. The court heard that, had he been driving within the speed limit, he would have been able to stop in time to avoid a collision.

Ms Haworth hit the windscreen, and stationary car before landing in the carriageway.

Witnesses recalled Longworth, aged 28, of Trenant Road, Salford, stopping at the scene and, in shock, asking: "What have I done?"

Ms Haworth spent 16 days in hospital and could not return to work for five months.

Paul Bryning, defending Longworth, who previously had an unblemished driving record, said: "He is absolutely devastated at his behaviour and what he has done. It was a foolish and reckless decision to overtake where he did at the speed he did."

He added that Longworth has been badly affected by the collision, unable to work and wakes up in a cold sweat.

Sentencing Longworth Judge Walsh told him that injuries he cause could be been even more "catastrophic".

Longworth was banned from driving for three years and nine months after which he will have to take an extended retest.