A TEENAGER'S plans to work in France were thrown into chaos yesterday when he appeared in court.

Police clocked Frank Flannigan's Audi A4 travelling at 100mph in a 60mph limit as he was driving back to Darlington to see his sick mother, magistrates were told.

When the 18-year-old, of Yarm Road, Darlington, admitted speeding on the A59 York to Harrogate road, Harrogate Magistrates' Court was told he had three penalty points on his licence from an earlier speeding offence.

Magistrates imposed a further six points - as well as a fine of £200 and £45 costs - and told Flannigan that he will have to revert to provisional licence holder status and take another test.

Court chairman Eileen Haxby said he would shortly receive notification from the DVLA, at which time he could no longer drive unaccompanied.

Flannigan said that he needed to drive for his job, which involved working in France, and that he intended to go back across the Channel two days after his court appearance - moving items for a road construction company from site to site.

He said he had been to see his girlfriend in York and after setting off received a call to return to Darlington as quickly as possible as his mother had been taken ill.

"I was just trying to get home as fast as possible," he said.

"I am sorry. I never drive like that, it was just that night," he added.