Competing cyclists "could have been killed" by a motorist doing more than 50mph, a court heard.

Scottish Road Race cycling champion Andrew Bruce told a court how William Peebles missed racers by inches when he sped past in a Land Rover Discovery.

Mr Bruce told Perth Sheriff Court he was "amazed" none of the competitors were knocked off bikes in the incident during the Thistle two-day stage event near Newtyle in Angus.

Peebles, 57, Coupar Angus, denies driving dangerously and failing to adjust his speed whilst a cycle race was taking place before losing control and veering towards participants on the unclassified road between Newtyle and Kettins.

Mr Bruce told the trial: "It was a very dangerous situation. There were a small number of inches between riders' elbows and the wing mirror.

"The driver made no effort to slow down. In fact he seemed to speed up and did not seem to care for the cyclists going in the opposite direction.

"I would estimate it was two and a half tonnes of vehicle against a bunch of cyclists going the other way."

He added: "There was no margin for error. It doesn't bear thinking about what could have happened.

"I was astounded he was not only wasn't slowing down but my impression was that he was speeding up.

"I was amazed the rider next to me did not get clipped. The vehicle passed at high speed - sufficiently close to give me cause for concern. We could have had death on the road."

Off-duty police constable and Deeside Thistle Cycling Club member Christopher Williamson, 28, was also taking part in the event and said he thought he was going to die as Peebles' vehicle veered towards him at speed.

He said he was in the main peloton with around 35 riders when Peebles came over the crest of a hill and was sounding his horn and flashing his lights.

Mr Williamson said: "It was basically making a beeline straight for me. I thought I was going to be the first point of impact.

"At the point where I thought it was going to collide with the group I genuinely thought it was going to hit us and be a serious amount of death or life-changing injury as a result of the driving.

"I would give a conservative estimate he was doing 55 to 60mph. Because of the speed it was coming at us I had to brake sharply.

"It struck the verge spraying debris into the air. It came back towards us again. The front offside of his vehicle was no more than six inches away from me.

"Stones had been kicked up in the air which were about the size of golf balls. I was getting struck on my arms, head and face and they were pinging off my bike.

"In my personal and professional opinion his driving fell well below the standard I would expect of anybody. I was 100% certain it was going to hit me."

Other witnesses told the trial that the driver of the Land Rover was seen to gesticulate in an angry manner towards the cyclists as he passed them on 16 May last year.

The trial before Sheriff William Wood continues.