BLACKBURN Magistrates heard milkman Glen Shaw failed to stop and report a crash after his milk float skidded on ice and hit a bus.

The collision left passenger Paul Grimshaw needing ten stitches to a head wound after the float's metal canopy came through a side window and part of the structure was ripped of as the bus passed.

Shaw completed his round before contacting the police, but was too late to avoid a charge of failing to report an accident.

Shaw, 24, of Scar Lane, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to failing to stop and failing to report. He was fined £100 with £55 costs and had five penalty points endorsed on his licence.

The court heard that the double decker bus was travelling along Bolton Road towards Ewood and as it past the junction with Finsbury Place the driver felt an impact towards the back of his vehicle.

Mr Grimshaw felt a blow to his face which knocked him to the floor.

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council submitted a compensation claim for £2,800 for repairs to the bus.

Stephen Parker, defending, said the incident happened when snow had fallen and frozen. "He had no control of the float at the time of the accident because it was skidding on a sheet of ice," said Mr Parker. "It's significant he's not charged with driving without due care and attention."

He said Shaw assumed the bus would have been relatively undamaged and decided to finish his round before going to the police.

"He didn't want to get involved with sorting things out at that stage but rang police about one and a half hours after. He wanted to sort it out, but the obligation is to do it quicker."