A surgeon's lapse in attention at the wheel of his car resulted in a fatal head-on collision that claimed the life of a woman.

Alexander McAuslan's Land Rover Discovery Sport was seen "drifting across" into the oncoming lane before crashing into a Ford Fiesta driven by Rodica Pamphilon.

Romanian-born Mrs Pamphilon, 46, died after sustaining head and chest injuries in the crash on the A68 Edinburgh to Lauder road near Fordel Mains in Midlothian.

McAuslan, 65, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, was also injured and later told police in hospital: "I don't know what happened. I may have fallen asleep.

"He was originally charged with causing the death of Mrs Pamphilon, of Ormiston, in East Lothian, by driving dangerously and following asleep."

At the High Court in Edinburgh he pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of causing death by careless driving after the Crown amended the charge and deleted the allegation that he had fallen asleep.

McAuslan, of Edgehead, Dalkeith, in Midlothian, admitted driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for others, failing to pay proper attention to the road in front of him, crossing onto the opposing carriageway and colliding with the Fiesta.

The judge, Lord Burns, deferred sentence on McAuslan for the preparation of a background report and continued his bail.

Lord Burns said: "I have to say that I cannot rule out any form of sentence at all."