A motorcyclist who overtook a lorry at 157mph - the highest speed ever recorded by police on a British road has been jailed for 28 days.

Andrew Osborne, of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, was caught speeding on his 1200cc Kawasaki motorbike on the busy A412 Tingewick bypass near Buckingham in March this year.

The 29-year-old had been riding with a friend, 29-year-old Neil Bolger, whose Kawasaki 750cc was recorded at a speed of 148 miles per hour. Bolger, of Park Lane, Lower Quinton, Stratford-upon-Avon, was also jailed for 28 days when the pair appeared before magistrates in Aylesbury on Tuesday.

The two vehicle technicians, who both work for the same company, had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at an earlier hearing. Bench chairman David Thomas told Osborne and Bolger they would only serve half of their sentence in prison and the rest would be suspended.

"This is clearly a unique offence," he said.

"It is an example of unprecedented, excessive speed on our roads at great risk to others".

"The only mitigating factor is that is appears to be a single incident."

Both Osborne and Bolger were also each disqualified from driving for two years and told they would have to take an extended re-test at the end of that disqualification before they could drive again.

The court had heard how they were caught speeding by a camera technician for Thames Valley Police, who was using a laser speed gun attached to a camera. He was observing traffic on the A412 when he saw Osborne's motorbike leaning heavily as it overtook a lorry on a sweeping left-hand bend.

The court heard almost immediately after that he saw another large motorbike, being ridden by Bolger, overtake the same lorry, the court heard. He informed the police and both men voluntarily attended Milton Keynes police station where they admitted being the riders of the motorbikes, exceeding the speed limit and driving in a manner that could be dangerous.

Osborne's defence, Darren Rogers, said his client was "hugely remorseful" and that he had even written an article in Motorcycle News saying his actions were "not big and not clever".

Mr Rogers said Osborne's "grossly excessive" speed was just a short burst to overtake a lorry and insisted he had not been racing with Bolger.

Osborne, who has now sold his motorbike and travels to work on a bicycle, told the court: "I would just like to say I am deeply sorry for my actions and I regret them fully."

Defending Bolger, Nicholas Devine said his client was a family man and that the case and associated media coverage had been a "traumatic ordeal" for him.

Mr Devine said Bolger had also sold his motorbike.