A STEELWORKER was left with life-threatening injuries after a crash which saw his car spin through the air at head-height before landing on its roof.

Liam Ronnie Nee, of Grangemoor Close, Darlington, was returning from a night out in Barnard Castle with a friend when his car hit the kerb on the A67 near Piercebridge.

The 30-year-old pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention when he appeared before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe yesterday.

Joanne Hesse, prosecuting, said: "The defendant was driving his Ford Mondeo on the A67 from Barnard Castle to Darlington on September 30.

"On reaching the junction with the B6275 road at Piercebridge the defendant's vehicle struck the near-side kerb travelling east, struck the off side barrier, and a bus stand was severely damaged.

"The vehicle spun at head height through dense woodland before coming to rest on its roof some distance away from the road.

"The defendant and his friend James Aston were out of the vehicle when police arrived.

"The defendant was unable to say why the collision had occurred. He did comply with the roadside breath test before being taken to hospital by ambulance.

"The breath test was positive, however due to the doctors in charge of the defendant's care, they deemed his injuries to be life threatening, serious injuries and that a blood sample shouldn't be obtained, on medical grounds."

The defendant's friend had drunk about seven pints of cider, he told police.

Defending himself, Nee said he had no recollection of the accident, which had left him suffering memory loss.

He did not offer an apology or any explanation to the court.

He told police he vaguely remembered spinning and crashing but said he had only had two pints before the crash. He could not offer any reason why he had struck the kerb and lost control.

Magistrates fined him £600 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.