AN inexperienced driver flipped his VW Polo while overtaking on a stretch of road named 'Coroners' Corridor' because of its high accident rate, heard Skipton Magistrates.

Alexander Seater, 24, was unfamiliar with the stretch of the A59 at Beamsley Hill, described as the second most dangerous in the country, the court heard.

Magistrates banned him from driving for 20 months, ordered him to carry out 80 hours unpaid work, and told him he would have to take an extended re-test before getting his licence back.

He 'failed to notice' double white lines on the 50mph stretch approaching Bolton Abbey, and overtook a car and an HGV carrying solid hazardous goods on a blind bend.

Forced to pull in sharply, because of an approaching car, he hit a kerb and overturned his car, the court was told.

Prosecuting, Martin Butterworth, said Seater, who admitted dangerous driving, but not immediately, was lucky to have survived unhurt, with one witness describing it as 'suicidal'.

Mr Butterworth said the stretch of road featured two lanes, including a crawler lane to pass slow moving traffic, coming up the hill, and one going down.

He said the road was classed as the second most dangerous in the country and had been given the name 'Coroners' Corridor'. He added several attempts had been made to make the road safer for motorists.

"He managed to get past the vehicles, but because of a car coming the other way, he had to pull in sharply. The car flipped over and came to rest on its roof," he said.

There was no suggestion that Seater, who had no previous convictions, had been travelling at excessive speed, or showing off, said Mr Butterworth.

The court heard in mitigation that Seater, of Springfield Avenue, Kirkham, Lancashire, was not familiar with the area and unaware of the road's reputation as a black spot.

He had seen other people overtaking and had been careless in not seeing the double white line. He had also accepted from the start he had carried out a careless manoeuvre, but not a dangerous one, although he later accepted it had been.

Seater had been 'scared half to death' by his actions and had accepted he was very lucky not to have been injured, or caused injury to other road users.

Magistrates told Seater he had made a foolish error of judgement and that his driving had been poor. They banned him for 20 months and warned him he would have to take an extended re-test before being able to drive again.

He was also handed a 12-month community order with 80 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay costs of £85 and £85 surcharge.