Robert Anthony had his two-year driving ban reduced on appeal at Preston Crown Court.

Relatives of victim Graham Bannister said they are disgusted.

Daughter Vicky McDonnell, 28, said: "I don't know how he can appeal against a driving ban when he has already pleaded guilty to careless driving.

"He should have accepted his punishment and got on with his life. Robert Anthony got off lightly. To hear a two-year ban is too harsh is a joke."

On April 25, last year Robert Anthony was reversing along Priory Lane, Penwortham, 'at or about the wagon's top speed of 10mph'.

He failed to see 53-year-old father-of-five Graham Bannister.

Father-of-two Anthony, of no fixed abode, had registered as an experienced HGV driver with local jobs agency Assist.

He was hired by Leyland-based utilities company Enterprise, which is contracted to provide South Ribble Council's refuse collection service. Previously a court heard how the 37-year-old had been given just 30 minutes of training and had been with his Enterprise refuse collection crew only three days when he reversed over Mr Bannister.

More than 300 people attended Mr Bannister's funeral, and Vicky described him as 'real salt of the earth who would do anything for anyone'.

Anthony pleaded guilty to careless driving and was disqualified from driving for two years and fined £400 in May 2008. He already had six penalty points on his licence.

But Judge Louise Anderson QC at Preston Crown Court said 'in the exceptional circumstances of the case' she would cut the ban.

Miss McDonnell's family will now be seeking legal advice to see if they could have the Appeal Court decision reversed.