A man from Stockport who used the A34 as a 'drag racing track' has been sentenced.

Twenty-eight-year-old Joel Partington, of Portrea Drive, Stockport, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and was sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for 18 months at Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday 28 October.

He and 21-year-old Olly Catterall from Congleton staged a drag-style road race from a set of traffic lights in Wilmslow.

Pedestrians were stood around the lights, with some filming the cars on phones.

An unmarked police car spotted the vehicles and pulled up behind them.

When the lights turned green, the two cars sped off, racing each other along Pendleton Way and on to the A34 bypass, reaching speeds in excess of 100mph.

Both vehicles were stopped by the officer from Cheshire Police, with Catterall and Partington spoken to about their actions and reported.

As well as his sentence, Partington was also given an 18-month driving ban, and must take an extended test before being allowed back behind the wheel.

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He must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

Twenty-one-year-old Catterall appeared at Crewe Magistrates' Court on Thursday 6 August where he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and was handed a 12-month road ban.

As part of sentencing, he must also complete an extended driving test and is required to pay fines and court costs exceeding £1,700.

Police Constable Martin Hilditch, of the Cheshire Police roads and crime unit, said: "There appears to be a mentality where driver's feel it is perfectly acceptable to ignore the rules of the roads, using them as their personal racetracks whilst they play race car drivers.

"Catterall and Partington not only disregarded their own safety and the safety of other road users, but the safety of the group of pedestrians who had gathered on the side of the road to film them.

"We regularly conduct enforcement operations on our roads to prevent serious collisions that can have horrific consequences which we have seen all too often. Whilst we appreciate people's love for their cars, we will not and cannot accept the danger posed to members of the public caused by choices like those made by Catterall and Partington.

"We will continue to take appropriate action against those involved in dangerous driving and will leave no stone unturned in identifying anyone who feels they can break the law without consequence."