A woman driving on her own has shared the moment two men terrorised her and vandalised her car, which reduced her to tears.
Katie Franks, was travelling to work when she was harassed by a driver and a passenger from another car who, when the lights turned red at traffic lights, got out and smacked her car with a weapon.
The 33-year-old was left traumatised after the incident at around 6.40am on Wednesday morning.
Katie revealed the moment she pulled up to traffic lights, when she looked out the window for a second - before realising they had turned green.
At that point she claimed the driver and passenger in the white transit van behind her were going ‘berserk’ beeping their horn and flashing their high beam despite the light just changing.
She claims she signalled to the pair to calm down and began to move away when the van sped off from the lights at the Destiny Centre, on Norton Road, Stockton.
“I just continued driving but shortly after the same van forced me to slam on my brakes as it was driving the wrong way in the exit-only lane as you come into Norton village. I stopped but then they just flew down the high street,” she told Teesside Live.
“I was already shaken at this point but thought to myself ‘that van is going to cause an accident as some point.”
Katie carried on driving only to see the van again at the traffic lights at on Fieldfare Lane/A1027.
Katie, of Norton, in Stockton, said: “I saw them in my mirror and saw the passenger was getting out of the van. He had something in his hands so I locked my door - he was so angry and irate.
“I couldn’t see what the weapon was but he just came at the car hitting it with this metal thing. It’s messed the side of my car up. I’m just glad he didn’t hit the window or I’d have a face full of glass.
“I’m so relieved I locked the door.”
The driver said the passenger was also shouting abuse but after causing the damage promptly sped away.
Ms Franks hopes by sharing her story someone will remember the incident and be able to identify the culprits to police.
She said: “I was so lucky it was just the car but it really frazzled me. I started crying once I got to work and have changed the times I set off - I now lock my door when I’m driving.
“I’m really unhappy they’re out there still to do it to somebody else.”
Ms Franks has reported the incident to Cleveland Police.
A force spokesperson said: “Cleveland Police has received a report of an incident at the traffic lights on Fieldfare Lane/A1027 whereby a car was damaged.”
