A 26-YEAR-OLD Great Harwood man who drove at speed without lights in an attempt to get away from police has been warned that he could face a prison sentence.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Adrian Sutherland Ball eventually crashed into a wall and at first it was feared he may have broken his back in the collision.

Ball, of Cliffe Lane, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop when required and failing to provide a breath test. He was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

The court heard that a police car on A59 had to swerve to avoid a collision when Ball drove onto the carriageway from a side road.

He was followed to the Wiswell roundabout and then towards Great Harwood. He initially stopped but as the officer approached his vehicle Ball sped off and turned on to country lanes.

The police car followed and at one stage Ball turned off his lights.

He was arrested after colliding with the wall.

Daniel King, defending, said his client only turned his lights off for a short distance before realising it was a stupid.

He said Ball injured his spine and was removed from the car and strapped to a stretcher.

"It was under those circumstances that the officer asked him to provide a specimenand not surprisingly there was some confusion," said Mr King.