THE parents of a teenager and her young brother who died in a road crash have said they feel sorry for the elderly driver who was responsible.

Frail Thomas Theobald wept in court yesterday as he admitted a charge of careless driving.

The court heard how the 78-year-old caused the accident when he pulled out of a junction on the busy A693 between Stanley and Chester-le-Street, County Durham.

He hit a Citroen Saxo driven by Jenna Armstrong, 19. Her ten-year-old brother, Lee, was a front seat passenger.

Speaking after the hearing at Consett Magistrates' Court, their parents, Karen and Ray Armstrong, said it was a tragedy that had affected many people.

"Everyone involved in this has suffered, there is no doubt about that," said Mr Armstrong, 53, a retired policeman.

"It has taken a long, long time to come to terms with it, and we are getting there little by little.

"We hope Mr Theobald's family can look ahead and get on with their lives also. I feel very sorry for him.

"It must have been terrible to have to stand there and own up and admit to something as terrible as this."

Mrs Armstrong, a nurse, 47, called for the compulsory tests for every motorist wishing to drive after the age of 70.

She said: "I feel so sorry for Mr Theobald and understand he is going to need as much support as we do to come to terms with this."

Lesley Kirkup, prosecuting, said Theobald caused the crash as he emerged from the West Pelton junction on October 9.

Miss Armstrong, who was driving within the speed limit, had no time to react and her car hit Theobald's Nissan Micra and rebounded into an oncoming Honda car.

He said Theobald had checked both ways, but failed to notice the headlights of cars approaching from either side.

Lee Fish, in mitigation, said it had been a "tragic momentary lapse in judgement".

He said: "He is 78-years-old, has led a blameless life, has no previous convictions and had, up until this point, a clean driving licence, which he has held for the last 37 years.

"His intention is never to get behind the wheel of a car again. He wishes it had been he who had lost his life, rather than Jenna and Lee."

Magistrates banned Theo-bald, of Heathmeads, Pelton, County Durham, from driving for a year, and fined him £500 with £100 costs.

Mrs Armstrong told how she came across the crash after she became worried about Jenna and Lee.

Her eldest daughter, Lindsay, 27, called to say they had failed to turn up for a pre-arranged visit at her home in Consett.

Mrs Armstrong set off from her home in Perkinsville, County Durham, but within a mile came across a police road-block on the A693.

The 47-year-old retired nurse said: "They had planned to see their sister Lindsay and her daughter Brioni, but Lindsay phoned to say they had not turned up.

"I drove on the route they had taken and came across the roadblock for the accident."