THE family of a North-East woman killed when a reckless driver forced her off a motorway say they will never forgive him.

Probation officer David Firbank, who has been jailed for 30 months, pulled on to the A1M without looking, causing Nichola Payne to swerve her company car and catapult across the road.

The impact killed the 28-year-old recruitment officer for Orange instantly. The Vauxhall Corsa she was driving spun on to the opposite side of a dual carriageway and landed on its roof.

Miraculously, her two passengers survived the crash, on September 7 last year.

Last night, Nichola's father, Allan, said he would never forgive Firbank.

"He's still alive, my girl isn't," he said. "She was a fantastic girl."

Nichola was the only daughter of Mr Payne and his wife, Pat, who also have a son.

Mr Payne had hoped Firbank would get a custodial sentence, but said: "He didn't get enough, but at least he's gone to prison."

Newcastle Crown Court had heard that the car was forced to swerve after Firbank, 44, pulled out in front of them as he joined the motorway at the A194M Washington junction.

Nichola, who was based in Darlington, was returning home to West Crescent, Darlington, from a conference in Tyneside.

Prosecutor Stephen Duffield told the court: "Nichola suffered grave head injuries of which she died. Her death was caused by the manner of driving of Mr Firbank - it was dangerous driving,"

Front-seat passenger Lisa Matson had told the court that Firbank was driving so close to Nichola's car that she could have touched him.

She said: "It was as if he wanted to be on the road where we were. We moved and he just kept coming.

"If Nichola hadn't moved the car he would have hit us"

Firbank, of Ryelands Way, Pity Me, County Durham, stopped his car at the scene.

He told police that Nichola was already struggling to keep control of the car when he spotted her in another lane. He denied causing her death by dangerous driving.

But yesterday, he was found guilty and was jailed and banned from driving for four years.

His sentence comes just days after the Government announced plans for a crackdown on motorists who break the law.

Nichola, a former pupil of Branksome School, was a member of Darlington Operatics and had performed in a number of shows in the area, including playing the lead in musicals at Darlington Civic Theatre.