Soccer star Shola Ameobi's mum caused a smash after driving her car without passing a test.

Margaret Ameobi, 53, was driving alone on a provisional licence so was uninsured when she was involved in the accident.

Ameobi, the mother of the promising Newcastle United striker, ended up being fined after apologising to a court.

Police officers on patrol saw her driving her Vauxhall Corsa across the junction of Fenham Hall Drive to wards her home in Moorside North, Fenham, Newcastle, on January 23.

Newcastle Magistrates Court heard she overshot the junction and put herself in the way of an oncoming Ford Mondeo. The two cars were then involved in a minor collision.

Both Ameobi, a nurse at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital, and the driver of the other car were left shaken but not injured by the collision.

In a later interview with police she admitted she only held a provisional licence and had been unaccompanied.

Also during the in terview she told officers: "I am very sorry for what I did in breaking the law. It will not happen again."

Ameobi exercised her legal right not to attend court for the hearing, which her solicitor Adam Hodge said was due to work commitments.

Mr Hodge also said his client was extremely apologetic and remorseful for the accident which came after an afternoon shopping trip.

He explained: "She had taken the vehicle to the local shops to buy some food for her family. She was the only person at home at the time.

"She couldn't get anybody to drive her, her husband was away on business.

She drove a very short distance to the local shops and was returning home when the accident happened.

"She accepted immediately that she was at fault. She did not attempt to flee from the accident.

"She was shaken by the accident and checked with all parties to make sure everything was all right.

"When she was spoken to by the police officers in the interview she was without a solicitor and made a full admission."

Ameobi pleaded guilty to careless driving, driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and driving with no insurance.

She was given eight penalty points on her licence, fined £425 and ordered to pay £43 in costs.