A college student crashed into an oncoming car, seriously injuring her 18-month old passenger, after being distracted by a bee, has been spared jail.

Rebecca Wood, 24, claimed her attention was diverted by a bee in her VW Golf while travelling along Broadfield in Oswaldtwistle before she slowly veered across the road and collided with an oncoming Volvo car.

Burnley Crown Court heard the toddler’s seat was ‘not properly secured’ and caused him to be ‘catapulted’ face-first into the seat in front.

He was airlifted to hospital where he underwent surgery for a forehead laceration.

Wood pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury and was given a 20-month jail sentence, suspended for two years with a two-year driving ban.

Robert Elias, prosecuting, said the incident happened at around 5.40pm on June 17, 2014 and the driver of the Volvo was uninjured by ‘very shook up’. The court heard how the toddler was treated at Manchester Children’s Hospital and a review in October 2014 found the head wound had ‘completely healed with a good cosmetic result’.

Mr Elias said there were no mechanical faults with Wood’s car, no excessive speed, overtaking or use of a mobile phone and it was an ‘otherwise inexplicable piece of bad driving’.

Laura Nash, defending, said Wood, of Corrie Crescent, Kearsley, was badly injured in the crash and was hospitalised for one month before requiring three months of rehabilitation at a facility.

She told the court that Wood is of previous good character and has had a ‘self-imposed disqualification’ from driving since the incident.

Miss Nash said the toddler’s family did ‘not support the prosecution’ against her and there has been ‘no deterioration in their relationship’.

The barrister said: “Her life has been turned upside down by this conviction in all aspects. She has feelings of guilt and is distraught over the consequences of her actions.”

Recorder Simon Medland QC said Wood had been described in ‘glowing terms’ in references he had received an one letter said she was a ‘loving courageous individual who thinks the world of the youngster.

He said: “This is not a case of deliberate bad driving or being under the influence or speeding, it is a case of inattention. Your are devastated and traumatised by the incident.”