TWO men had to be airlifted to hospital when a 20-year-old Rishton man crashed after deliberately speeding over the brow of a hill during "five seconds of madness".

Blackburn magistrates heard the spot, on Hollow Head Lane, Wilpshire, had been a target for young men filming cars "taking off".

And the court heard the front seat passenger in Oliver Beadle's car felt they had left the ground momentarily before going into a spin and crashing into a stone wall.

Beadle, 20, of Danvers Street, Rishton, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving other than in accordance with a licence and without insurance. He was remanded on bail for reports with a warning that custody would be an option.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the front seat passenger was a 17-year-old and Beadle was giving him and two others a lift.

The teenager said he had been watching Beadle's driving carefully because he was having lessons himself. Everything was normal until they approached the top of Hollow Head Lane when Beadle began to accelerate.

"The road disappears over a bump and you can't see what is over the bump," said Miss Allan.

"The passenger said they were going faster and faster and he felt the other passengers were thinking the same as him because they all went quiet."

Miss Allan said that as they approached the brow of the hill Beadle's car was straddling the middle line.

"As they went over the brow all four wheels left the road and at the same moment the passenger saw another car coming towards them," said Miss Allan.

The car landed and began to spin before crashing into the wall.

Two of the passengers were taken by air ambulance to Royal Preston Hospital with serious injuries.

A police accident investigator put the car's speed at take-off at between 51 and 63mph and in his opinion the correct speed should have been 20 mph.

Miss Allan said Lorraine Lester, whose wall had been demolished in the crash, said they had been bothered with young men setting up cameras and taking picture of their friends jumping cars over the crest of the hill.

Basharat Ditta, defending, said it was clear from the witness statements there had been no problem with Beadle's driving for all but five seconds of the journey.

"He went over the crest of the hill at speed knowing that for a split second all four wheels would leave the ground," said Mr Ditta.

"It is those few seconds that make him guilty of dangerous driving and that is the totality of the allegation against him. There is no suggestion of a prolonged pursuit, breaking the speed limit or going through red lights. It was simply five seconds of madness."