AN 87-year-old motorist today said he felt sickened at being handed a six-month driving ban for committing four speeding offences in three years after more than half a century with a clean licence.

Bill Thornton, 87, was banned by Blackburn magistrates on Thursday after being caught three times breaching the 30mph by speed cameras.

And the former engineer said he felt the courts should be concentrating on more serious offences.

He said: "I think they are catching the wrong people really. When I am driving at 30 there are people passing me at 60 or 70 miles an hour and people behind me are blasting on the horn. It's terrible."

Mr Thornton, of Hawkswood Gardens, Brierfield, said he had hoped the court would take into account his circumstances and would have allowed him to continue driving to his regular medical appointments.

At the court hearing magistrates suggested Mr Thornton would be able to use taxis or use an ambulance if he fell ill.

He added that since his most recent speeding incident, where he was caught by a hand-held camera in Accrington Road, Whalley, last June, he had stuck to every speed limit and that he had held a clean licence for more than 50 years before being caught by a camera in May 2001.

All of his speeding offences, which include two in Colne Road, Reedley, and one in Whittingham Lane, Goosnargh, were at speeds of less than 40mph.

Bill, whose wife Muriel, 82, has a driving licence but has not driven for more than a year, said: "My wife and I use the car to go out for a coffee in a morning and the occasional lunch, as well and doing the shopping and going to the doctor.

"I don't know what we'll do now. Muriel does not want to drive, although she has a licence, taxis are very expensive and I couldn't walk to the top of my road without stopping three or four times to catch my breath.

"I have had my licence for well over 50 years and never a mark until recently.

"I felt sick about what happened. To be honest I expected to get off, particularly as one of my convictions was due to expire in May.

"I really think they should take people's circumstances into account more.

"But I suppose it's just one of those things. I have no argument because that's the law and you can't dispute it."

A spokesman for the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety said: "At just 35mph, a driver is twice as likely to kill someone as they are at 30mph because it takes an extra 21 feet to stop.

"Those prosecuted in Lancashire are not just travelling a few miles over the limit. Drivers are permitted to travel an additional 10 per cent plus two mph over the speed limit before action is taken."