The BBC's Geeta Guru-Murthy: Michael Raynor had told police his vehicle was out of control

Michael Rayner, 27, from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, had been accused of deliberately prolonging the 20-minute incident on 10 May last year because he was enjoying the excitement of the drama.

But a six-man, six-woman jury took just over one hour to clear him at Harrow Crown Court on Monday.

As the verdict was announced, Mr Rayner threw back his head and sighed audibly.

The BBC's Bob Sinkinson: The judge praised a 999 operator for handling the incident in such a cool manner

His father Derek, who had been in court throughout the trial, was also visibly relieved, as was his girlfriend, who burst into tears.

The court had heard Mr Rayner describe the incident, which began on a Sunday morning as he returned from unloading a lorry-load of household waste at a Bedfordshire landfill site.

Michael Rayner said he was convinced he was going to die

He said the engine began racing as he joined the M1 at Junction 13, heading south towards London.

As Mr Rayner had earlier over-ridden the lorry's speed limiter, there was nothing to prevent the lorry exceeding its legal 56mph limit and travelling at up to 80mph.

His brakes then failed. As he wove a path through slower moving coaches, cars and lorries, he first phoned his father for advice, and then dialled 999.

Within minutes police patrol cars were providing a "rolling escort" and a police helicopter was following from above, while officers shouted instructions to him on his mobile phone.

Roundabout closed

As the lorry continued towards the end of the motorway, Mr Rayner rejected various police suggestions as to how he might stop, convinced they could cause him to lose control and overturn.

It later emerged officers had been so worried they evacuated the Staples Corner roundabout at the end of the motorway, alerted other emergency services, and considered closing the opposite northbound carriageway in case he ploughed across the central reservation.

Mr Rayner, convinced he would not survive if he failed to stop before the road ran out, eventually decided he had no option but to steer on to the hard shoulder and use the crash barriers to bring him to a halt, a few miles before the end of the motorway.

Mr Rayner rejected Crown claims that he was a "thrill-seeker" who could easily have stopped much earlier, telling the court he was genuinely concerned the police suggestions would cause him to lose control and possibly kill himself and others.

"It was not fun at all," he insisted. "I was convinced I was going to die."

Thanks for support

Mr Rayner's barrister denied the Crown's claim that his client should have stopped much earlier, saying that was like suggesting he should have risked his life sooner rather than later.

Richard Kovalevsky also ridiculed the prosecution's complaint that Rayner had not been panicking when he phoned police.

"Well, thank God for that, because it would not be a trial, it would be an inquest," he said.

Outside the court, Mr Rayner's solicitor Bruce Kent read out a statement from his client.

"The last year has been a difficult year. Last week and this week was particularly so," he said. "But it is over and the jury have reached a just decision. We can now go home and restart our lives."

Mr Rayner also spoke of his gratitude to the many people, including lorry drivers, who sent him messages of support.

"Our original anger has passed and we now wish to be left as we were, unknown and of no interest to the press," he said. "We hope they will now help us to do this."