A TAXI rushing a pregnant woman to hospital was rammed from behind after stopping at a give way sign, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard that the pensioner driving the other car stopped briefly but then drove off before police arrived.

Gordon Thomas Hitchen, 66, of the Bolton Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to failing to stop after an accident, driving without insurance and other than in accordance with a licence.

He was fined £350 with £50 costs and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Clare Fanning, prosecuting, said the taxi was taking the pregnant women, who thought she was in labour, and her partner to Queens Park Hospital when the collision occurred in Livesey Branch Road.

Hitchen was eventually interviewed by police.

He accepted giving false details to the taxi driver before leaving the scene.

Sian Hall, defending, said her client had been diagnosed with prostrate cancer and has an implant which releases a hormone which had caused a lot of problems with his bones.

He was due to receive radiotherapy in the near future.

She said on the day of the offence he was in a lot of pain and had decided to drive to his part-time job. "He stopped to make sure everyone was all right but then he panicked," said Miss Hall.