Sarah Taylor, 23, smashed into Melanie Lee's BMW Mini Convertible with such force the 35-year-old victim was flung from her car, suffering massive internal injuries.

Jailing Taylor to six years, Judge Norman Wright told her: "You snuffed out the life of Melanie Lee by a grotesque piece of driving."

Witnesses at the scene said the crash "sounded like a bomb going off".
Preston Crown Court heard how two heroic young drivers tried to rescue Miss Lee just seconds before the fatal collision.

Miss Lee, from Manchester, had been visiting her parents in Scotland and was returning home on September 30 last year when she lost control of her car, swerved and ended up facing the wrong way on the outside lane of the M61 southbound at Brindle near Chorley.

Two young passing motorists, said by a judge to have acted with bravery, stopped to help the stricken Miss Lee who was uninjured.

Miss Lee, a senior manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers, was trying to climb out of her window with the help of heroic Gareth Crossley and Aaron Sparrow but the door was jammed.

The court heard how suddenly Mr Crossley saw the headlights of a speeding oncoming car, shouted a warning and the two men only just managed to jump out of the way.

Taylor's Fiat Stilo was being driven at 95mph when it ploughed into Miss Lee's stationary car.

The business woman was flung from her vehicle and suffered massive internal injuries, but again acting with significant bravery Mr Sparrow was able to get to her and comfort her in her dying moments, the court heard.

Taylor miraculously escaped without serious injury and told witnesses including a policewoman at the scene: "I was on my phone, I took my eyes off the road."

Duncan Birrell, prosecuting, said tests showed she had 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, over twice the legal limit.

Taylor, 23, of Munn Road, Blackley, Manchester, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol.

As well as the six year prison term she was banned from driving for five years.

The court was told Taylor had been supplementing her income as a medical receptionist by working as a late night dancer in Blackpool and was returning home.

Ian McMeekin, defending, said she was consumed with guilt, had no previous convictions of any kind and a clean driving licence.

Judge Norman Wright said if anything illustrated the dangers of drink driving, excess speed and using a mobile while behind a wheel it was this case.

Sgt Ian Milnes, from the Motorway Unit, said: "I think this incident highlights the stupidity of drink driving, using your phone whilst at the wheel and speeding, all of which played a huge part in this collision.

"I would like to offer my condolences to Melanie' s family who nine months on are still coming to terms with their devastating loss."

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