AN illegally driven 4 x 4, rolled on to its side and crashed through railings where children were playing football.

Blackburn magistrates heard that an eye witness and a police officer who investigated the incident both said it was a miracle nobody had been killed in the high speed crash.

And the officer said the driver had been on his way to get the vehicle's brakes fixed which prosecutor Catherine Allan said made the nature of his driving more inexplicable.

Ibrahim Patel, of Balaclava Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and without insurance.

The 25-year-old was ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work, banned from driving for nine months and until a test is passed afterwards, and fined a total of £260 with £60 costs.

Miss Allan said the witness had been waiting at the junction of London Road with Shear Brow when he saw a BMW M3 approaching at high speed. He estimated the vehicle was doing between 60 and 70 mph as it sped past.

As the witness followed he saw the BMW narrowly miss a parked car before skidding on to the kerb and overturning on to its side.

The vehicle then crashed through railings into Peace Haven Garden where children were playing football.