A woman crashed a Vauxhall van after becoming distracted by a heavy goods vehicle behind her.

Debbie Gaunt, 28, of Hilly Bunnies, Earls Colne, collided with the side of a truck carrying gas cylinders on the A120 Coggeshall bypass on June 2.

She admitted careless driving but said her attention was drawn by an HGV, which she felt was driving too close behind her vehicle.

In mitigation, James Baird-Murray said the only people affected by the crash were Mrs Gaunt and her passenger.

He added Gaunt suffered a great deal as a result of the accident including paralysis to her left side caused by stress and medication she was taking.

Magistrates fined Gaunt £80, which included a ten per cent reduction for an early guilty plea, and ordered her to pay court costs of £60.

Her driving licence, which is already suspended due to a medical condition, was endorsed with three penalty points.