A drunk driver from Poole has been jailed for seven years after falling asleep at the wheel and causing a fatal crash on the M3. 

Steven Anderson, of Forest Road, was more than two-and-a-half times over the drink drive limit when he fell asleep at the wheel before ploughing into another car on the M3 near Winchester on December 15 last year.

After the accident he hid in the undergrowth on the other side of the motorway and was only arrested after police dogs and a helicopter with an infra-red camera joined the search.

The accident happened southbound between junctions eight and nine and claimed the life of 55-year-old Andrew Greest, from Gosport.

Anderson, 44, was jailed at Winchester Crown Court on Friday and disqualified from driving for 10 years.

The court heard Anderson, who was working as a diver on an oil rig in the North Sea, was making his way home and had consumed some alcoholic drinks while waiting for his delayed flight.

Once at Heathrow Airport, Anderson picked up his Vauxhall Insignia hire car and left for home in Dorset.

He told police he felt tired and during the journey fell asleep behind the wheel.

He said he woke up to find the rear of Mr Greest's Vauxhall Vectra so close to the front of his car that he barely had time to brake.

Following the collision, Mr Greest's car was pushed off the carriageway, over the verge and down the embankment where it overturned. Mr Greest sustained fatal injuries.

Anderson's vehicle also went off the carriageway and partially down the embankment but he escaped without injury.

Anderson got out of the vehicle and after some conversations with other drivers and a recovery vehicle driver, he made his way over to the opposite carriageway where he lay down in undergrowth.

He was discovered some two hours later by a police dog and handler with the assistance of an infra-red camera equipped helicopter.

A back calculation of Anderson's blood revealed that the reading would have been around 219 mg/100ml at the time of the collision and 233mg at the time he collected the car. The limit for alcohol in blood is 80 mg/100 ml.

Officers from Hampshire Constabulary's Roads Policing Unit have welcomed the sentencing.

Inspector Richard Parsons said: “The tragic consequences of this case highlight the dangers of driving whilst tired and under the influence of alcohol and should serve as a reminder to members of the public to consider their actions before getting behind the wheel of the car.”