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A motorist was fined £200 after she ran over a cyclist at a roundabout - leaving him with broken ribs but saved by his helmet.

The victim was an experienced biker who completed triathlons before the incident on July 30 last year, city magistrates heard.

Both often used the Great North Road at South Muskham where Kay Melvin was driving a Nissan Juke at 7.50am, said Ann Barrett, prosecuting.

The cyclist entered the roundabout and it was clear. Melvin pulled out and the rider tried to avoid her vehicle but was struck, said Miss Barrett.

"The front offside wheel went over his chest and the rear offside wheel over his helmet. He suffered serious life altering injuries.

"The helmet prevented a significant head injury," said Miss Barrett. The incident was witnessed by two other motorists.

Six penalty points were put on the driving licence of hospital worker Melvin, 55, of New Hill, Walesby near Newark. She admitted driving without due care and attention.

She had never been in trouble before and must pay £85 prosecution costs as well as a government surcharge of £30.

Tom Gent, mitigating, told the court that she wanted him to start by "conveying the defendant's heartfelt apology."

He went on: "She is genuinely devastated that her mistake has caused the injuries it has done."

It had been raining that morning and visibility was reduced at the busy mini roundabout, which has a white circle painted on the road. She checked the road before pulling out.

Mr Gent said: "It seems she looked and saw no car or any such vehicle and nothing on the roundabout.

"She must have looked beyond the cyclist who was already present. She accepts entirely she missed him, overlooked him.

"She accepts her driving fell below the required standards and it is something she bitterly regrets. There is genuine remorse. She has been badly affected by what has happened.

"It is something she has struggled to come to terms with." She had been driving since 1983 without any problems, added Mr Gent.