A motorist on trial over a horror crash which led to a pensioner's death has told jurors: "I will carry that with me for the rest of my life."

Calum Wilkinson, 25, admits causing the death of 82-year-old David Bennell by careless driving, on the A66 near Keswick, on April 29 last year.

However, Wilkinson denies his driving was dangerous.

He is on trial at Carlisle Crown Court, where he gave evidence on day two of his trial.

The jury had earlier heard Mr Bennell was making a "five-minute" westbound journey back to his Braithwaite home in a Toyota Avensis at around 4.40pm.

Heading the other way was Wilkinson's navy Volkswagen Bora. He was driving towards his parents' home in Motherby having finished work at the New Balance site in Flimby.

One westbound witness reported seeing the Volkswagen "making a definite right turn that took it out of the oncoming line of traffic and straight into the offside wing" of the Toyota.

In the witness's opinion, Mr Bennell "had no chance" of avoiding the head-on collision.

A police investigator compiled a report on the crash, which occurred on a "sweeping left-hand bend" between Braithwaite and Portinscale.

It was "very unlikely" Mr Bennell would have had time to react, concluded the officer, who added: "Even if Mr Bennell did have time to react, he wouldn't have been able to take any action to avoid a collision."

No mechanical defects were found on either vehicle, nor was there evidence either driver had any "medical episode" before the collision.

Footage from a wagon driver's windscreen-mounted camera - said to capture the collision ahead - has also been played to jurors.

Giving evidence, Wilkinson told jurors he couldn't recall the collision nor the aftermath. He, too, was seriously injured and spent six days in hospital.

His first post-crash memory, he said, was "my family arriving at the hospital".

Wilkinson, of Eaigle Terrace, Main Road, Flimby, was asked whether he could explain what caused the head-on collision.

He replied: "I can only base my plea on what I have seen in terms of the evidence presented to me, and I can only comment and say that (it was) a mistake possibly made on my part that resulted sadly in the death of Mr Bennell.

"I will carry that with me for the rest of my life."

But Wilkinson went on: "As regards to it being dangerous I would dispute that."

He added: "The (wagon) video - it is not very clear to me what's happened. Both vehicles appear to be in their carriageway until the point of impact."

The trial continues.