�A great-grandmother-of-eight who lost her driving licence after a police chase spanning 27 miles – at speeds of between 10 and 20mph – has had her driving ban lifted.

Caroline Turner, of Fairholme Avenue, Gidea Park, was banned from driving in October at Colchester Magistrates’ Court.

The 76-year-old – a former Havering over-60s Artist of the Year winner – sparked a major police operation after she drove the wrong way around a roundabout in Thorpe-le-Soken, near Frinton, Essex.

Fears

She was pursued along the A12, ignoring flashing blue lights, and finally stopped in Marks Tey when an officer ran alongside her Ford Fiesta.

She was detained in a police cell overnight after officers feared her driving could lead to a fatal accident.

Caroline admitted driving without due care and attention and failing to stop for the police and was banned from driving for a year and fined �100, with �100 costs.

The Recorder reported in October that she vowed to appeal the decision – and a judge at Chelmsford Crown Court on January 6, reduced her penalty from a ban to eight points on her licence.

Caroline said: “It’s wonderful isn’t it? It’s been really hard without being able to drive.”

She added that the sentence was reduced from a ban to eight penalty points because it was her first offence.

“At Christmas I couldn’t drive to my brother and sister-in-law and my niece had to take me.

“The decision is a salutary lesson that I must always bed down when it’s dark and not drive. It’s really brought it home to me.

“When you get older you don’t want to drive in the dark anyway.”

Caroline has complained to the independent Police Complaints Commission about being held in a cell overnight, which she says was an over-reaction in the case of a pensioner being charged with a driving offence.