TWO officers suffered whiplash injuries when a car reversed into their police Range Rover, a court heard.

Extensive damage was caused as Thomas Dennison travelled backwards at speed.

Preston Crown Court was told that the reversing had been accidental and had happened in a moment of panic.

The 21-year-old, from Oban Place, Maryhill, Glasgow, appeared for sentence, having admitted offences of dangerous driving and not having insurance.

In the early hours of January this year a man living in Honey Hole, Blackburn, was woken by continual buzzing of various intercoms. The person at the other end had a Scottish accent, but may not have been the defendant.

There was kicking of an entrance door and eventually a complaint was made to police.

Mr John Wishart, prosecuting, said police went to deal with the complaint. A Vauxhall Nova car with two people on board was seen to drive away at high speed. There was a pursuit of the vehicle in the immediate area. At one point the car reached 60mph in a 30mph zone.

The car stopped in Park Lee Road. Then without any warning, it reversed at some speed, hitting the front of the police vehicle. The driver and the passenger sustained whiplash injuries.

The other car shot forward again and the two people on board, one of them the defendant, ran off. Following his arrest he told police that he had put the car into the wrong gear, while trying to send it forwards.

Assistant Recorder Philip Butler ordered the defendant to carry out 150 hours of community service, pay £414 costs.

He also banned him from driving for a year, after which he must take an extended test.