A woman put multiple lives “at risk” by stopping her car in the middle of the M4 while high on ketamine.

Bethan Markfort, of Reigate in Surrey, has been banned from driving for two years and fined £1,200 after pleading guilty to drug driving in relation to the incident, which took place on April 18.

The 20-year-old was driving on the M4, between Membury and junction 15 at Swindon, when traffic cameras showed her “inexplicably” stop her vehicle in lane two of the motorway.

This forced several vehicles, including multiple HGVs, to take evasive action to avoid a crash.

READ MORE: M4 speed checks in Wiltshire see 114mph driver caught

Witnesses called police and Markfort, who had driven from Surrey, was found to have ketamine in her blood, more than 10 times the legal driving limit, at the time of the incident.

Roads Policing Officer Tom Webster said: “Markfort’s actions were incredibly reckless and dangerous and put a number of lives, including her own, at risk.

“It is extremely fortunate that having stopped in the second lane for unknown reasons, the drivers behind her were able to react in time to take evasive action, potentially averting a serious collision.

“There can be no excuse for driving under the influence of drugs, let alone the distance Markfort travelled with the amount of ketamine she had in her system.”

At Swindon Magistrates Court on October 7 Markfort was also ordered to pay a £480 surcharge and £85 in costs.

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