A businessman who killed two “vibrant, fun-loving, beautiful” sisters in a road crash has been jailed for 10 years, Avon and Somerset Police said.

Thomas Lenthall, 40, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday after previously pleading guilty to causing the deaths of Madison and Liberty North by dangerous driving.

The charges relate to a collision on the A361 Frome bypass in Somerset on July 25 in which 21-year-old Madison and 17-year-old Liberty, known as Maddie and Libby, died.

The court heard how Lenthall had been driving in excess of 100mph along the A361 Frome Bypass on Tuesday July 25 when his car, an Audi RS6, collided with a VW Polo, the force said.

The sisters had been celebrating Maddie’s graduation, which was due to take place the following day, when they popped out to buy soft drinks and Lenthall’s vehicle collided with their car.

Verity and Jason North said their daughters’ deaths had “literally broken our hearts”, in a personal statement shared by the force.

They said: “Maddie, her sister Libby and the whole family were so excited and proud she was graduating as a teacher, achieving her childhood dream.

“Family were invited, the party was arranged, everything felt perfect.

“On the evening of the 25th, Maddie and Libby popped out for a Coke, and they never came home.

“It is every parent’s worst nightmare – their lives were taken. Our innocent, precious daughters, at such young ages, were just beginning to live their best lives and fulfil their dreams.

“In a heartbeat, everything changed. They had been killed by the reckless, dangerous driving of another.”

They added: “Getting out of bed is painful, having to live this nightmare over and over again every day … our futures have been destroyed.

“(Thomas Lenthall) has robbed us of seeing Maddie as a teacher and Libby as a nursery teacher. They loved their jobs very much.

“(Lenthall) has stolen the chances we would see them marry and see them as mothers – making us proud grandparents, which they both wanted very much. Gone.

“Our home is so painfully quiet now, our family home has changed forever. Our lives ripped to shreds.

“Since the moment we heard the news of our girls, there is a deep piercing pain our hearts. Waking in the middle of the night, feeling guilty we couldn’t protect them both …

“Never, ever did we think we would have to plan funerals for our girls in our lifetime. How we did that and got through the day, I will never know.

“The tears, sobs, wails, and heartbreak of that day, I can still hear as clear as day today.

“From the dangerous, reckless, irresponsible, stupid actions of another forced us to have this reality, one that will never heal. One we will never get over.

“Our hearts are broken forever. This tragedy has taken the privilege of being Maddie and Libby’s mum and dad away.”

Lenthall was taken to hospital with serious injuries and was later arrested and charged.

At the time of the collision, he had been overtaking another car when he collided head-on with Maddie’s car, the force said.

Judge James Patrick ordered that Lenthall should serve a minimum two-thirds of his sentence, and disqualified him from driving for seven years.