A DRINK-driver has been jailed after he raced another car, then his vehicle spun out of control and smashed into a phone box and a set of traffic lights.

Nigel Leith narrowly missed ploughing into a line of queueing traffic in Radcliffe New Road in Whitefield after a court heard he had driven at speeds of up to 90mph.

The 49-year-old was two-and-a-half times the legal alcohol limit when his Chevrolet Lacetti clipped a car and smashed into the phone box and traffic lights, at the junction with Bury New Road, with such force it knocked out local power and telephone connections.

Leith, of Ripon Avenue, Whitefield, was jailed for 14 months when he apperaed at Bolton Crown Court on Monday, wearing a specially-adapted chest and neck support.

He had to be cut out of his car by firefighters and taken by air ambulance to Salford Royal Hospital suffering chest, back and rib injuries following the incident which occurred around 3.50pm on February 23 this year.

Recorder Stuart Driver said he was lucky not to have seriously hurt motorist Gary Logan and his 14-year-old daughter.

Addressing Leith, Recorder Driver said: “You were the only one injured, but the only reason for that is luck.

“It was a very terrifying experience for Mr Logan and his very young daughter and it could have ended in tragedy.”

The court heard how Mr Logan, who was in a car with his daughter, pulled up at a set of red traffic lights with eight cars in front.

He looked in his rear-view mirror and saw Leith’s Chevrolet approaching at high speed — about 90mph in Mr Logan’s view.

Prosecuting, Patrick Williamson said: “Mr Logan was so convinced the car would crash into the back of his car he braced himself and his daughter for the impact.”

Leith’s Chevrolet clipped the rear offside of Mr Logan’s car before skidding off the road and rolling over, landing on its side.

The Chevrolet hit a tree, a set off traffic lights and a telephone box and caused £20,000 worth of damage, the court heard.

Leith later claimed that a black car had “cut him up” and so he gave chase.

Witness Elaine Hart reported how she was driving near the two cars said she saw them travelling at between 60mph and 70mph in a 30mph zone.

She saw the Chevrolet overtake a car, causing a vehicle on the other side of the road to swerve.

At the scene of the crash, an electrician had to cut power from a nearby power box amid fears that the crashed car would topple onto exposed wires, putting lives at risk.

The road was closed off for 90 minutes, causing rush-hour chaos.

A blood test revealed Leith was two-and-a-half times the legal alcohol limit and he also had traces of cannabis in his bloodstream. Police found cannabis in Leith’s car at the scene.

Defending, Mr Daniel Calder said Leith had been drinking heavily the night before the crash and had also had a pint of cider on the day.

He added: “My client admits his actions were dangerous and stupid. He says he was an idiot.

“This was an appalling piece of driving.

“My client has reached a turning point in his life and is willing to have counselling.”

Recorder Driver heard that Leith’s only relevant previous conviction was one for dangerous driving and drink driving from 2008.

Sentencing, he said: “This was a deliberate course of driving which involved racing with another vehicle at very high speeds when you were two-and-a-half times the limit and also had trace amounts of cannabis in your blood stream.

“Another aggravating feature is that you have a conviction for dangerous driving for driving with excess alcohol.

“Because of these factors, only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”

At an earlier hearing, Leith had admitted dangerous driving, drink driving and possessing cannabis.