A driver who ploughed head-on into four cyclists at 60mph has been jailed for two years and eight months.

Jason Morgan, who had taken amphetamine, hit the riders with his Vauxhall Corsa on a mountain road in Bargoed in April.

Driver jailed for head-on crash with cyclists in Bargoed #driving #news https://t.co/l42baBRYt4

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The 48-year-old, from Treharris, admitted drug driving, dangerous driving, and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

One of the cyclists suffered life-changing injuries.

Photographs of the bikes crumpled and broken, one missing a wheel and parts spread around, were shown at Cardiff Crown Court.

Prosecutor Peter Donnison said friends Darran Thomas, Huw Smith, Christopher Jones and David Myhill were "experienced and passionate" cyclists who had ridden all over the world.

Mr Donnison said the riders heard "a car engine revving" and saw it on the wrong side of the road travelling towards them.

"Mr Thomas thought the driver did not like cyclists and was doing it on purpose to scare them then realised he was not going to swerve or stop," the prosecutor said.

"He shouted at the driver and tried to avoid the car by turning towards the grassy bank but felt the bumper hit his leg and bike, and he was thrown into the air.

"He was struggling to breathe, he was in so much pain."

Mr Thomas, 54, suffered life-changing injuries, including a broken leg, six fractured ribs and a punctured lung.

'Desperately sorry'

Six months after the crash he is still receiving physiotherapy and counselling.

Mr Thomas said in a victim impact statement: "I don't think I will ever be the same person again.

"I can't put into words the impact the incident has had on me. It has completely changed my life in ways I did not know were possible."

He said he did not think he would ever be emotionally strong enough to ride a bike on the road again.

Defence barrister Lucy Crowther said: "He does ask me to say, on his behalf, how desperately sorry he is.

"He has not driven since and he has got no intention of ever driving again in his life."

As well as the sentence, Judge Nicola Evans banned Morgan from driving for three years and ordered that his car be confiscated.