A man who admitted causing death by careless driving after a collision involving two lorries on the A47 in mid Norfolk has been spared jail.

Lorry driver Clive Storrs, 64, had previously admitted causing the death of Mark Rodwell by careless driving on February 1, last year.

Mr Rodwell was a passenger in the lorry and died at the scene of the crash, which took place on the section between the A1075 and A1065 at Scarning, near Dereham.

Both drivers were said to have sustained minor injuries in the accident.

Storrs, from Doncaster, was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court on Thursday (August 1).

He was given 12 months in prison, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work and was banned from driving for 12 months.

At a previous hearing, held last month, the court heard from Aaron Dinnes, for Storrs, who said the driver was soon to turn 65, and asked if could be given time before his sentencing to get all his affairs in order.

He said Storrs had been working between 7.30am and 8pm and said that he needed time to prepare for his sentence.

He said that Storrs would soon be coming up for retirement and explained that his wife did not drive at all.

Judge Anthony Bate adjourned sentencing and granted Storrs bail while his report is prepared.

However he warned Storrs he must prepare himself for a possible sentence of custody as well as a driving ban.

He said: "It is a serious matter and disqualification will inevitably follow. You must prepare yourself for that."

Judge Bate described the accident as a sad case.

The crash which took place in February, last year, closed the road for several hours and a crane was needed to remove the vehicles from the scene.

Norfolk Police posted on Twitter that officers had assisted in a "complex recovery" operation following the crash.

A number of messages of sympathy were also left at the scene and one of them read: "We are so sorry that this happened."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with your loved ones. Rest in peace."

At the time Mid-Norfolk MP George Freeman said the accident highlighted the urgency for dualling the A47.