Catherine Maguire, 37, combed and ran her fingers through her hair while motoring along the M9 motorway.

Stirling Sheriff Court also heard McGuire, of Cowie, Stirlingshire, swerved several times to avoid other vehicles, including a camper van, while continuing to comb her hair.

Driving 'not acceptable'

Sheriff Kenneth Stewart ignored her lawyer's pleas that the mother-of-one would need her licence to get to and from a new job as a customer liaison worker that she had been offered at a tanning salon.

He said: "It should be obvious to all drivers that 100% concentration is required, and your driving and behaviour on this occasion was certainly not acceptable."

McGuire had faced a charge of dangerous driving, but the prosecution accepted her plea of guilty to a reduced charge of driving without due care and attention. She was also fined £250.

An allegation that she applied make-up while driving down the motorway was dropped.

Depute fiscal Karina Duffy said the police patrol tailed McGuire's Rover 213 for more than three and a half miles along the M9 between Stirling and Falkirk on 24 April.

One-handed driving

She said the officers' attention was immediately drawn to McGuire's car as they joined the motorway at Bannockburn to begin their patrol.

She said they saw McGuire, whose car was travelling down the slip road in front of them, swerving from the hard shoulder to the barrier and noticed that she was combing and running her fingers through her hair.

She said: "The officers followed her and remained behind her for three and a half miles.

"The accused continued to arrange herself while driving with one hand along the motorway, and it became apparent to the officers that she clearly was not in control of her vehicle."

Eventually the police car flashed her, and she pulled over.

Lip salve

Defence agent Ken Dalling said McGuire accepted she done wrong.

He said she had been "embarrassed and concerned" by having to appear in court, and added that at all times she had remained within the motorway speed limit.

He said: "She accepts she was not in a position to properly react to any untoward incident occurring on the motorway."

McGuire, who is to appeal against the sentence, said earlier this year: "My hair had fallen into my eyes and all I did was to brush it out of the way so I could see.

"A little later I put on some lip salve.

"I can't understand all the fuss."