A cardiologist thinks it is "extremely unlikely" that a man fainted moments before his Range Rover struck two pensioners at a pedestrian crossing.

Dr Andrew Flapan,58, told the High Court in Edinburgh that he didn't think Vincent Friel, 44, displayed symptoms which showed that he passed out at the wheel of his 4x4 vehicle.

Mr Friel, of Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, is accused of causing the death of Charlotte Collins, 68, by driving dangerously in Barrhead Road, Glasgow, on January 18, 2014. 

He is also accused of causing the serious injury of Ms Collins's cousin Margaret Haldane, 69.

The medic told a jury how he looked at CCTV footage of the moments following the collision, which took place close to the Silverburn shopping mall. 

It shows how Mr Friel got out of his Range Rover vehicle a short time after the vehicle struck the two women. 

The jurors also saw how the driver got back into his car and reversed the vehicle off one of the women, who was trapped under a wheel, and then put a mobile phone to his ear.

Dr Flapan told prosecution lawyer Iain McSporran that people who have experienced syncope - the medical expression given to fainting - don't usually recover for minutes. 

When Mr McSporran asked him whether Mr Friel's alleged behaviour was consistent with a diagnosis of syncope, Dr Flapan replied: "It would make the diagnosis of syncope to be extremely unlikely."

Dr Flapan was giving evidence on the second day of proceedings against Mr Friel, who denies the charges. 

His lawyers have lodged a special defence which claims he suffered a vasovagal attack at the wheel of his car. 

The medical condition is alleged to have caused Mr Friel's blood pressure to drop so much that he fainted. 

However, the court heard that two cardiologists disagree with Dr Flapan's analysis. 

The court also heard that Mr Friel had in the past received treatment for high blood pressure.

Prosecutors claim that Mr Friel caused the death of Charlotte Collins, of Potterhill Road, Glasgow.

The Crown allege that Mr Friel failed to observe pedestrians crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing in contravention of a red light signal.

Prosecutors claim this caused the vehicle to strike Ms Collins and this caused her to be so severely injured that she later died at the Southern General Hospital. 

Mr Friel has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The trial continues.