THE heavily pregnant wife of Newcastle United and England striker Michael Owen was banned from driving yesterday.

Louise Owen, 25, was disqualified for 56 days after being clocked at 104mph in her Range Rover as she rushed to pick up two-year-old daughter, Gemma, from nursery.

With the England striker's foot in plaster, the couple are worried what would happen if there was an emergency in the late stages of her pregnancy.

She is due to have her baby early next month.

Mrs Owen, of Northrop, Flintshire, who admitted the charge, was banned and given a £540 fine with £40 costs by magistrates in Newcastle.

She was clocked speeding at 11.31am on October 21, along the busy A696, near Woolsington, Northumberland, a road that has a 70mph speed limit.

Joe Hedworth, prosecuting, said: "When she was stopped by the officer, Mrs Owen said: 'It is my daughter's first day at nursery, I am going to collect her'."

John Hall, mitigating, said: "Mrs Owen is 25 years old and has been driving for eight years or thereabouts.

"She has only had one previous matter, a fixed penalty notice which expired today.

"When she was spotted by the officer, she was surprised that she was doing over 100mph.

"She was fully co-operative with the officer and does not seek to hide behind any technical elements.

"Driving at the moment is of particular importance to the Owen family.

"For five days of the week, they live in a remote part of the Newcastle area and travel to see family for two days.

"There isn't anyone else who can drive at the moment, Mr Owen as we all know, is injured, Mrs Owen has full responsibility for the driving.

Mr Hall said the Owens had just moved to the Newcastle area and there were no other family members or friends nearby who could do the driving.

Winn Clayton, chairman of the bench, said: "In this court we treat speeding at this level extremely seriously."