A SPANISH trucker who caused a motorway smash which killed a Little Hulton woman returning from a hospital visit has been found guilty of careless driving.

But lorry driver Boris Cedeno was forgiven by the victim's husband who wascommended for his actions by a crown court judge.

Cedeno, aged 29, was arrested after his HGV ploughed into the back of a Renault Scenic on the M602 near Eccles.

The impact pushed the Renault into a Volvo tipper truck flipping the car into the air.

Kathleen Wilson, aged 62, who was travelling in the back of the car on December 21, last year, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead in hospital.

Three other people were in the car with her - husband Roy, aged 54, who was driving, their neighbour George Gunshorn, and a 16-year-old boy. They all suffered serious injuries and were treated at Hope Hospital.

Cedeno, who lives in Barcelona, Spain, later said he was on his way to Bradford but may have become "confused and disorientated" as he was unfamiliar with the road layout. Experts said he had been travelling "slightly in excess" of the temporary 40mph limit which had been put in place due to wet weather and queues on a slip road.

At Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, Ecuador-born Cedeno was cleared of causing death by dangerous driving but was found guilty of careless driving after a week long trial.

The accident occurred at 4.30pm as Mr Wilson and his wife of Coniston Grove, Little Hulton, were returning from a hospital visit with a family friend and a 16-year old relative.

Heavy traffic on the westbound carriageway of the motorway had been reduced to a crawl and Mr Wilson switched on his hazard lights to warn drivers behind him.

Mr Timothy Brennand prosecuting said Mr Wilson then saw headlights in his mirror. "The lights were bearing down on him quickly and were not going to stop," he added.

As Cedeno's truck crashed into the back of the Renault the car was crushed against the skip wagon travelling in front at around 10mph. As the Renault was flipped into the air it was hit a second time by Cedeno's HGV.

Inquiries revealed the impact speed was 38mph. After the verdict Judge Jeffrey Lewis paid tribute to Mr Wilson saying: "I must pay tribute to Mr Wilson, he found himself in a room discussing the matter and he said he forgave him Cedeno in the most compassionate terms.

"The generosity and the decency of this gentleman cannot be overstated." Cedeno will return for sentence later this year on a date to be fixed.