An horrific collision which occurred between a Seat Alhambra People Carrier and a Daihatsu Fourtrack in the vicinity of Catershook Farm on the Begelly - Templeton road in August of last year had its sequel before magistrates sitting at Haverfordwest on Wednesday.

Before the court was Aline Mary Myers, aged 36, of Aros y Wennol, Llangolman, Clynderwen, who denied a charge of careless driving.

Outlining the case for the prosecution, Mr. David Weale stated that the defendant and a friend had taken their children to visit Folly Farm on Wednesday, August 30, and, having returned to Clynderwen with the girls in her car, Mrs. Myers discovered that her seven-year-old was not in her friend's car with the other boys and that he had obviously been left behind.

Anxious for his safety, she immediately set out to get him but, at about 5.20 pm, she appeared to have lost control of her vehicle, clipped the grass verge and, in over compensating, veered across the road and collided head on with the Daihatsu.

Giving evidence, Mr. Brian Gordon Brown, the Daihatsu driver, stated that he saw this vehicle coming towards him on the wrong side of the road at a fast speed. He could, he said, do nothing to avoid a collision and his vehicle was spun around by the impact.

Asked what injuries he had sustained, Mr. Brown said that he had two broken ribs, a broken nose, fractured sternum, a collapsed lung, a badly damaged knee and various other cuts and bruises. He added that he remained in hospital for almost two weeks, was housebound for a further three months, during which time he had to sleep downstairs, and he had been unable to work for 10 months.

Another witness, Sion Davies, travelling in front of the Daihatsu, said that he was able to mount the grass verge to avoid the oncoming vehicle and saw the impact in his rear view mirror.

Jacqueline Seato, who was following the Daihatsu, said she drove more than 40,000 miles each year and, as she saw the incident unfold on a sweeping bend, considered that the people carrier was travelling much too fast.

Investigating officer, PC Pamela Aston, reported that both vehicles had been extensively damaged in the accident and that metal cutters had been used to release both drivers.

There were no visible skid marks on the road and the weather at the time was dull, following rain, but the morning had been sunny, she stated.

PC Aston added that when she had interviewed the drivers later, Mrs. Myers had admitted that she had lost control of her vehicle. Mr. Brown reported that there was nothing he could have done to prevent an impact.

Traffic lawyer Mr. Robert Bimpston, defending, submitted that the skid resistance of the road did not meet the required standards, but this was denied by Mr. Roberts Evans, Pembrokeshire County Council asset management officer, who said that tests carried out only a few weeks earlier proved otherwise.

In finding the defendant guilty as charged, the chairman of the bench, Mrs. Watham, considered that Mrs. Myers "had been driving too fast and had departed from the standard of driving expected of a person who was reasonably prudent and competent."

A fine of £500 was imposed and an order made for £300 costs. In view of the circumstances of a mother being anxious for the safety of her child, no penalty points were imposed and Mr. Sion Davies was commended for the prompt assistance he had given at the scene of the accident.