A VAN driver who crashed, killing a North-East pensioner, while chatting on his mobile phone was jailed for three years yesterday.

It is believed to be the UK's first recorded case of death by dangerous driving involving a mobile phone.

Alan Milbanke, 32, had been talking to a work colleague for nearly two minutes when he lost control of his Mercedes Sprinter van. He ploughed into a car driven by Derek Davies.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Mr Davies, 68, died instantly in the accident, on a country road near Snods Edge, Northumberland, on April 11 last year.

Mr Davies, a retired groom, from Shotley Bridge, near Consett, had been running a family errand when he died.

Last night, his widow, Jill, said Milbanke had robbed her family of a kind and loving man. "I would have liked to have seen a sentence of four to five years," she said. "My husband was a careful driver, he had no offences against him whatsoever.

" He was coming along that road and his life was just ended for nothing."

Police were able to deduce that Milbanke was on his Nokia phone when the crash happened, by comparing his mobile phone records with the time of a 999 call made by a passer-by.

They proved that Milbanke's call had ended only 19 seconds before the call to the emergency services.

Father-of-two Milbanke, of Point Pleasant Terrace, Wallsend, North Tyneside, had pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at a hearing in June.

James Adkin, for Milbanke, told the court: "No amount of apology I give on this defendant's behalf nor expressions of remorse go any distance in reducing the stress of the family of Mr Davies."

Milbanke, who had been delivering stationery, was also banned from driving for four years.

Mrs Davies added: "I found it difficult to keep my temper in court listening to the defence.

"Nobody should use a telephone while driving - it's as simple as that."