A brother and sister who caused a crash after driving the wrong way along a motorway for at least a mile have been spared jail.

Mark Lahabib, 19, and his 21-year-old sister Amanda, turned around and drove in the wrong direction on the M23 in order to avoid congestion, the result of a tanker shedding its load on the M25.

The pair, travelling in separate cars, sped past one motorist who had stopped in the hard shoulder with a puncture before Mark Lahabib smashed into an on-coming BMW, injuring the driver and front-seat passenger.

Judge John Crocker said it was a "miracle" the incident had not been more severe. He sentenced the Lahabibs to 200 hours' community service.

Mr Duck's car was badly damaged. He suffered a cut chin, sore back and shoulder. His front-seat passenger suffered bruising, bleeding and chest pain.

Mark and Amanda Lahabib admitted dangerous driving before magistrates, who felt the case was serious enough for them to be sentenced by a judge at Guildford Crown Court.

In a police interview, Amanda, of Coulsdon Road, Coulsdon, denied driving the wrong way up the motorway, on November 13 last year. Mark, of Owen Close, Croydon, told officers he had not gone the wrong way down the motorway, only the hard shoulder, in search of his sister. Neither had previous convictions.

Witnesses said other drivers were seen going the wrong way but were not apprehended.

Sentencing the pair Judge Crocker said: "It is just impatience that is at the heart of this case. You couldn't be bothered to wait."

They were banned from driving for two years and each ordered to pay £100 costs.