Ajay Singh, 26, was sentenced to eight years after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop and report a road crash

A drink and drug fueled driver who mowed down a cyclist and fled the scene leaving her to die was branded a 'selfish coward' as he was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Ajay Singh, 26, was driving at speeds of up to 80 mph after he had taken ketamine, cocaine, spice and drunk alcohol when he hit Vicky Myres as she was cycling around 8am with the mother of partner James Crosby.

Ms Myres, 24, cycled to work every day but was killed instantly after suffering a broken neck in the collision in Timperley, Greater Manchester.

Just moments before the florist was killed during her Sunday ride last August, another two cyclists on the road had heard Singh's VW Polo motoring down the road.

Ms Myres's last words before the collision were 'Gosh that car is going fast'. She suffered 66 injuries and died in hospital.

Thirty minutes prior to the hit-and-run, Singh was seen getting into his car with a half-drunk bottle of wine in his hand. He was said to be driving erratically with loud music blaring from his vehicle in a way which said he 'didn't care what he was doing'.

Eyewitnesses say Singh had stopped sideways across a road blocking traffic and was driving at speeds between 70 and 80mph along a 30mph stretch of road. He was driving at up to 62mph when he hit Ms Myres.

The father-of-one then drove away from the scene, leaving Ms Myres to die on the road, and was traced after his number plate was found at the scene.

Police found Singh 'out of it' on drugs on his sofa, with glass fragments in his hair, refusing to explain why he had been driving so fast.

He was over the drug limit for cannabis and cocaine and also admitted to taking spice and ketamine. He told police that he could not answer their questions as they 'could be in danger from drug dealers'.

Singh was more than twice over the limit for alcohol but prosecutor said it could not be proved he was over the limit at the time of the crash.

Disqualifying Singh, who hung his head, from driving for ten years, Judge Potter told him: 'When we last spoke Mr Singh I told you that what you had done that morning was an act of gross selfishness and had harmed many people.

James Crosby (right) paid tribute to his girlfriend Vicky Myres in an emotional statement outside Minshull Crown Court

'Your dangerous and unlawful driving showed a completed disregard of safety to others and you have taken from this world a truly special person.

'When she died Vicky Myres was just 24 years of age. She was a good, bright, intelligent and energetic person who had the world at her feet.'

He added: 'The pain felt by her family, in her parents is raw and immediate. I know that it is unlikely to abate.'

Defending Singh Amanda Johnson handed a letter written by the defendant for Miss Myres family to Judge Potter.

She added: 'The main mitigation in this case is his initial guilty plea. Following his release in 2011 he tried to turn his life around.

'He was in full time employment, had his own property and had put his past behind him.

'He does admit that he was having difficulties in his life at that time, and that he had been taking both drugs and alcohol the night prior to the incident.

'He is of course unable to turn back the clock but he does bitterly regret his actions.'

Mr Crosby, who had dated Ms Myres for six-and-a-half years, said in a statement at Minshull Street Crown Court: 'We had just bought a house together and we had planned getting married and having a family together and that has been taken away by the actions of one person.

Ajay Singh (left) hit Vicky Myres (right) and left her with a broken neck after carrying out a hit and run in Timperley, Greater Manchester

'Vicky was stunning inside and out. She had the world at her feet.

'I have been left to pick up the pieces from a happy life that has been stolen from me. My life now feels meaningless.'

Singh pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop and report a road crash.

He will serve half of the sentence in custody and the rest on license, he must also completed an extended driving test at the end of his disqualification period.

In 2010 he had appeared before court aged 18 over an attack by a gang on a 17-year old boy at a park in Rochdale which left the victim with bleeding on the brain. He also has a previous conviction for robbery.