A DRIVER said she was “astonished” to see a car overtake her just seconds before it smashed into a pick-up truck.

Gerald Newcombe, 20, was driving close behind the woman’s Volkswagen Passat car along a series of bends on the B1352 Manningtree Road at Mistley, a court heard.

As the road straightened out she was “astonished” to see Newcombe’s Vauxhall overtake her.

The witness later told police Newcombe had no chance of negotiating the next right-hand bend. His car was straddling the white lines as it went into the turn.

Newcombe told police the road was wet and he had been driving too fast to take the corner.

Newcombe, of Tally Ho Corner, Stratford St Mary, was not in court for the hearing but Colchester magistrates found the case of careless driving proved in his absence.

He was fined £350, with £75 costs, and will have to retake his driving test, after seven points were put on his licence.