A 72-year-old lay preacher has been banned from driving for 12 months after doing a U-turn on a motorway while on his way to deliver a sermon.

Peter Chaffey, from Whepstead, Bury St Edmunds, in Suffolk, was also fined �100 after admitting dangerous driving at Cambridge Magistrates' Court.

The prosecution told the court Mr Chaffey had driven in the wrong direction on the M11 on the outskirts of Cambridge for about two minutes.

Mr Chaffey is now said to be "absolutely incredulous" at his own actions in March this year.

David Shipman, for the defence, said Mr Chaffey had turned on to the M11 by accident.

Clean licence

"He thought he was going to be on the road for some time and so decided to turn around.

"He is absolutely incredulous as to why he did that now."

He said Mr Chaffey had managed to drive safely, and traffic had been light on the day in question.

Mr Shipman told the court that Mr Chaffey had been driving for more than 40 years and had a clean licence.

Passing sentence, magistrate Brian Payne said: "Fortunately the circumstances surrounding the offence were not as horrific as they could have been."

He also ordered Mr Chaffey to pay �75 costs, and to take an extended driving test before being allowed back on the roads.