A TAXI driver raced at 92mph along a notorious stretch of road in Great Yarmouth to pick up a distressed woman, a court heard. Gary Knowles, 41, overtook an unmarked police on the A47 Acle Straight as he headed towards Reedham to collect a young woman who had been abandoned by her friends.

A TAXI driver raced at 92mph along a notorious stretch of road in Great Yarmouth to pick up a distressed woman, a court heard.

Gary Knowles, 41, overtook an unmarked police on the A47 Acle Straight as he headed towards Reedham to collect a young woman who had been abandoned by her friends.

Prosecuting at Yarmouth Magistrates' Court on Friday, Gary Mayle explained how officers followed Knowles for a short distance in the early hours of November 11 last year, clocking his top speed at

92mph, before he was pulled over.

Knowles, who pleaded guiltyto speeding, represented himself and told magistrates he had received a call from his

operator telling him a lone young woman was in need of a taxi.

“While on route, I got another call. This one was more urgent and she asked if I could get here as quickly as I could, so I accelerated. It was a clear road,” said Knowles.

When asked if he was aware of how dangerous the road was, he replied: “I know the dangers of that road, but there were no other cars except the unmarked police car, which I overtook”.

Fining Knowles �120, magistrates said while they realised the urgency of the situation, he had driven at excessive speed on a dangerous stretch of road.

He was also ordered to pay costs of �35, a government surcharge of �15 and given six points on his licence.