A lorry driver who killed a Corsham pensioner after ploughing into him as he crossed the road has had his driving ban cut by top judges, so he can return to his job sooner.

Andrew Greenhalgh, 44, crashed into 89-year-old war veteran, Tommy Ford, as the pensioner made his way home, failing to see him until it was too late.

Greenhalgh, of Dicketts Road, Corsham, was given a community order with 300 hours unpaid work and an 18-month driving ban at Swindon Crown Court in May.

He was found guilty of causing death by careless driving.

But his ban from the road was cut to 12 months by judges sitting at London's Criminal Appeal Court yesterday.

They said there was no reason to deprive him of his licence - which he needs for work - for as long as 18 months.

However, the judges dismissed an appeal against his conviction, saying the jury's verdict was 'safe'.

Greenhalgh, an ex-soldier, was behind the wheel of his lorry in Valley Road, Corsham, on November 26, 2012, when tragedy struck.

As he approached the junction with Spackman Lane at about 5pm, he hit Mr Ford, who was making his way home to nearby Cresswells after visiting a friend's widow.

The trucker said he had seen Mr Ford and braked, but was unable to avoid him.

Dismissing his appeal against his conviction, Lord Justice Pitchford said that the jury was entitled to conclude that either he had not seen the pensioner, or that he had seen him but had failed to give any warning of his approach.

However, the judge, sitting with Mr Justice Dingemans and Judge Peter Rook QC, said: "It was not essential that this man should be disqualified from driving for a period as long as 18 months - he was otherwise punished to quite a significant degree.

"We take the view that, once he has completed a full 12-month period of disqualification, he should be given access to a driving licence, since his normal employment depends upon it."