AN elderly motorist avoided jail after driving his car for SIX miles in the wrong direction on a busy motorway.

Keith Taylor pulled into the hard shoulder and made a U-turn before heading southbound on the M23 into on-coming in traffic.

Officers finally caught up with him near Maidenbower, Crawley.

The 79-year-old from New Road, Burnham Overy Staithe, King's Lynn, Norfolk, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

He was sentenced by magistrates in Norfolk on 25 July to six months' imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Magistrates also disqualified from driving for two years and told he must take an extended driving test before reapplying for his licence.

PC Mark Botevyle of the Sussex roads policing department said in a statement after sentencing had been concluded: "In more than 15 years as a police officer I have never encountered anything with such potential to have caused a major tragedy.

"It was around 15 minutes past midnight in the early hours of 28 January when this incident occurred. I was on patrol in a marked police car with my colleague PC Wayne Dixon when we were alerted by a radio message.

"The M23 was busy with traffic and it was only by sheer chance that no collision occurred. Clearly there was potential for a major pile-up and I am still amazed that this incident did not have more serious consequences."

PC Botevyle said it appeared that the motorist had earlier left an inbound flight at Gatwick Airport but had then became confused as to which way he should be driving.

He said: "This all happened in darkness, adding to concerns that there might be a crash, and it is a timely reminder to all drivers never to let their concentration lapse.

"The best advice is to plan your journey properly, to make sure you are fit to drive and not to begin a journey if you are tired.

"If you do feel sleepy, stop in a safe place and rest. Do not stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway unless in an emergency."