A SECURITY van driver has admitted causing a crash which killed a Pendle man and his grandchild as they travelled to a family funeral.

Ian Shennan's dangerous driving forced East Lancashire man Paul Anderson to take evasive action to avoid a head-on collision as he drove on the A9 in the Scottish Highlands last July, a court heard.

Mr Anderson, 48, of Langroyd Road, Colne, and his four-year-old grandchild, Samantha Carr, sustained fatal injuries in the resulting four-car pile up.

The family were in Scotland for the funeral of his niece, Vicky Pickering, who died in a crash on the M6 at Bilsborrow earlier that month.

Shennan, 59, of Elgin, in Moray, Scotland, admitted causing their deaths by driving dangerously at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Following the hearing, Mr Anderson’s widow Melanie said she was grateful Shennan had pleaded guilty but that she felt “shell-shocked” from the ordeal.

And she paid tribute to her “kind and caring” husband who she also described as being “irreplaceable.”

At court Lord Brodie deferred sentence pending a background report. The judge released him on bail but banned him from driving in the interim.

Mrs Anderson said: “I’m shell-shocked. Nothing seems real at the moment. I’m just grateful he’s pleaded guilty.

“I felt a little bit of relief but I just want it all over and done with. His family must want that as well.

“I don’t think I’ll ever find closure because Paul was irreplaceable.

“I just hope the sentence matches the crime. I know he didn’t set out to do kill anyone, but his actions spoke for what he did.

“I would not want to be in his shoes now. I feel pity for him rather than anger.”

Mr Anderson, who was towing a caravan, was travelling north with his wife and their grandchildren Samantha and Emma for his niece’s funeral.

Niece Vicky died in a crash on the M6 in Lancashire, also in July, while on her way to her home village, Gairloch, in the Highlands.

Alex Prentice QC, prosecuting, said Shennan was taking used banknotes to Edinburgh and to pick up a new supply of cash for teller machines.

A slow-moving car was at the front of a line of traffic and when they entered a short section of dual carriageway drivers, including Shennan, pulled out to overtake. A van pulling a caravan ahead of him, not driven by Mr Anderson, completed the overtaking manoeuvre and Shennan then tried to overtake it.

Mr Anderson and his family were travelling in the opposite direction as Shennan continued to overtake.

Mr Anderson’s Hyundai ended up on its roof and the caravan it was pulling was left in a ditch, with only its roof intact.

The father-of-three was pronounced dead on arrival at Raigmore Hospital and Samantha died at the scene.

Mrs Anderson and Samantha's younger sister Emma were also injured in the smash.

Mr Prentice said: “The witnesses behind him could clearly see that he was making little progress and expected him to slow down and pull back."

Peter Gray QC, defending, said Shennan was "under no illusions" about the seriousness of his position.

He added: "He recognises a custodial sentence is inevitable."

Mr Anderson attended Trawden Forest Primary School and Park High School, in Colne.

Mrs Anderson said the pair met as teenagers in what is now Colne Youth and Community Centre, in Byron Road.

Despite separating for a number of years the couple reunited 10 years ago.

Mrs Anderson said her husband was a passionate Manchester United fan, who also liked anything to do with cars and motorbikes.

She added: “To me he was everything - my world. He was kind and caring and would do anything for anybody. He was a lovely man.

“He had a lot of friends and was also a big family man. We used to go on a lot of family walks.”

Mrs Anderson is backing a campaign to improve safety measures on the A9, led by Scottish MPs.