A DRIVER left the scene after overturning his van and blocking the road.

A search of woodlands was made when the emergency services arrived but the driver Ben Sneddon had walked to his home in Cairneyhill.

Sneddon, 24, of Pitdinnie Place, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He admitted that on March 16, in Sunnyside Road, near Oakley, he drove a van without due care and attention, failed to maintain proper control of the vehicle, lost control and caused the vehicle to leave the roadway and overturn.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said Sneddon works for his father’s roofing company and was driving one of the firm’s vans.

At some time between 9-10pm, he was driving on the Sunnyside Road, on a blind bend near Cairneyhill, when he lost control. The van ended up on its roof and was blocking the road.

Sneddon left the van there, did not report the incident and walked home.

He also did nothing about the van’s recovery, said the depute.

The fire service and an ambulance attended the scene after the accident was reported to police.

With no sign of the driver, the fire service carried out a sweep of the surrounding woodlands with infra-red cameras.

Sneddon was eventually traced at his home at 2.30am after police had contacted his father about the van.

Sneddon at first claimed to police that the van had been stolen but later admitted he was driving, saying: “I don’t really know what happened.”

Defence solicitor Elaine Buist said: “It’s not entirely certain what happened. He thinks he bent down to pick something up. He couldn’t find his phone after the accident and that’s why he didn’t call the police.”

Sheriff Alastair Brown said: “Turning a van onto its roof shows a significant level of carelessness.”

He fined Sneddon £355 and endorsed his driving licence with nine penalty points.