Glyn Jones was told by both his optician and GP on several occasions that his eyesight was well below the standard required for driving a vehicle after he was diagnosed with a severe eye condition.

But he ignored the warnings and did not inform the DVLA or insurers.

The 68-year-old was behind the wheel of his Audi A3 when it struck friends Marie Cunningham, 79, and Grace Foulds, 85, as they crossed a road in Southport, Merseyside, on 30 November 2021.

He later failed a roadside eye test.

Both pensioners were taken to hospital but died from multiple catastrophic injuries.

Jones, of Blackgate Lane, Tarleton, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court to seven years and four months in jail, Merseyside Police said.

He was also banned from driving for nine years and 10 months after he pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

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'Our lives will be forever changed'

Ms Cunningham's family said in a statement: "On 30 November 2021 we lost a woman that cared more about helping her friend across the road than getting herself home. Doing what she did best, helping others.

"Because of Jones's neglect our lives will be forever changed by that moment in time. Mum's life was taken away and ours was ripped apart.

"Nothing can bring mum back. This tragedy was unnecessary and avoidable, through selfishness, recklessness, a clear disregard for the law and the safety of others on the road, we are all here living this trauma today."

'An entirely preventable collision'

Detective Sergeant Andy Roper, lead investigating officer, said: "It has been a long and complicated investigation that required detailed analysis of the eyesight records of Mr Jones by an expert optometrist with over 40 years experience in the field.

"He concluded Mr Jones's vision was well below the standard required for driving a vehicle and he was informed of this on several occasions by opticians and his GP.

"He chose to ignore this and continued to drive despite the expert optometrist concluding that 'his vision without any correction would have been so poor that he would not have managed to see the steering wheel of his vehicle clearly'.

"This was an entirely preventable collision where the decisions made by Mr Jones have resulted in devastating consequences, leaving two families grieving and his own life being ruined."