A lorry driver who killed six people when he ploughed into three vehicles on the hard shoulder of a motorway was last night beginning a six-year jail sentence.

Brian France, 55, had either fallen asleep or was reading work documents when his Sainsbury's truck hit an overturned car and two other vehicles, York Crown court heard.

The judge said that the most likely explanation for the accident was that France was reading a piece of paper.

He was jailed for causing the deaths in the pile-up on the A1(M) near Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, on November 11 last year.

France, of Birdwell, Barnsley, had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

Police said it was one of the most horrific accidents they had ever seen.

Karen McCutcheon, 39, her husband, Colin, 44, from Kirkton of Logie, Buchan-by-Ellon, Aberdeen, and Mrs McCutcheon's sister, Sandra Jennings, 37, a social worker, of Huntington Road, York, died in the tragedy. Karen and Sandra's father Barry Jennings survived the accident after suffering serious injuries.

Also killed were Stephen Maddison, 43, a plant fitter, his wife Wendy, 39, a business manager, of Topcliffe, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, and David Cooper, 33, a lorry driver, from Handbridge, Chester.

Last night, the families of those who died said they hoped the tragedy would lead to a review of driving regulations.

The joint statement said: "We feel there must be some lessons that can be learned from the tragic events.

"If not, then the victims died for nothing and perhaps we all live in danger of a similar tragedy occurring again for the same reasons."

They called for Sainsbury's and its sub-contractors to undertake a review of company delivery procedures.

The statement added: "We would like some assurance that measures have been taken to prevent our roads being subjected to the dangers of 12 tonne lorries being put in the hands of drivers too tired to take on the required responsibility."

A Sainsbury spokesman said: "Our sympathies go to the family and friends of those involved in this tragic accident.

"We ensure that our contractors take every effort to provide regular training and assessment of drivers, including independent monitoring of hours."

A spokeswoman for Exel, the agency which employed France, said: "Exel ensures that all its drivers are working within legally controlled driving and rest parameters.

"As with all drivers working with Excel, Mr France was driving within the legally permitted hours on the day in question."

The company added that France had discounted driver fatigue as a contributory factor for to the accident."

The tragic chain of events began when a Vauxhall Carlton carrying the Jennings and McCutcheons hit the central reservation of the motorway and ended up on its side on the hard shoulder.

Good Samaritans Mr Maddison and his wife parked their Range Rover in front of the Carlton and got out to help.

Mr Cooper also stopped on the hard shoulder behind the Carlton to help.

He left his lorry with its hazard lights on while his colleague, Brian Dunning, waved at traffic to alert drivers to the accident ahead.

France had been swerving across the road for several minutes and several miles ,according to witnesses.

He smashed into Mr Cooper's lorry, which in turn hit the Carlton and the Range Rover.

Mr and Mrs McCutcheon and Mrs Jennings, who had been trapped in the Carlton, were killed instantly. France received minor injuries and was later arrested in hospital.

Judge Paul Hoffman sentenced France to six years for each of the six charges of causing death by dangerous driving, the sentences to run concurrently.

He also banned France from driving for eight years.