The driver of a V8 4.5 litre BMW sports car - accused of ploughing into a man and his dog – told a jury: "I'm no boy racer!"

Marketing rep Nathan Burgoyne said he had bought the silver 645 because it looked “sporty and classy”.

But he denied speeding along Radnor Park Road in Folkestone in April 2015 knocking skating instructor Andrew Lawrence over the car roof and leaving his gundog so badly injured it needed putting down.

The 26 year old – who has denied causing serious injury by driving dangerously – said he had been on his way to McDonald's when the accident happened.

"I have an interest in cars. I wanted to drive a nice one but I want to make it clear I am not a boy racer.

"I chose this one because it was a nice looking sporty car. It was a BMW 645 and had a V8 4.5 litre engine and I paid £6,900 for it. I don’t have it any more."

Burgoyne said he had left his home in Bouverie Road West to go to the fast food restaurant and had slowed down as he approached a roundabout and was doing between 20 and 25 mph when the accident happened.

He said: "I didn’t see anyone on the road that night. I didn’t see any pedestrians and I didn’t specifically see any dog. I didn’t know about the dog until after the accident. The first thing I saw were legs.

"The first time I saw Mr Lawrence was the first time my car collided with him. Mr Lawrence rolled over my car.

"As he came over the car, I didn't see the dog, but I felt something hit the front of my car. I stopped my car immediately."

Earlier eye-witness catering manager Andrew James told the jury how he saw "something fly through the air" after the crash and later realised it had been a dog.

Mr Lawrence, a 54-year-old grandfather, told Canterbury Crown Court how he suffered multiple fractures in the accident.

He had been walking his pet when he decided it was safe to cross to the central reservation and was three-quarters of the way across when he heard the noise of a V8 engine "kicking in".

“My dog was on my left hand side and it was safe to cross when I began. I had a clear view of everything and I wasn’t in a rush. If I had had my grandchildren that night I would still have crossed.

“I looked to my right and he was coming straight at me. At that point I braced myself because I knew I was going to get hit, but I did expect him to jump on his brakes.

“I was expecting to hear the screech of brakes but nothing and the speed he was going I cleared the car. Me and my dog cleared the car."

Prosecutor Bridget Todd told how Mr Lawrence was knocked over the car and blacked out before being taken to the William Harvey Hospital suffering from five fractures to his legs, a fractured and displaced shoulder, and three cracked vertebrae.

The trial continues.