Astley Cross: Grandma terrified after Stourport hit-and-run

Jemma Rawcliffe said her mother-in-law Gill, who is in her 60s, was on her way back from Worcester when two masked men hit the back of her car at the Astley Cross intersection. 

CCTV has shown the car spin around and end up on the wrong side of the road before the men decamped their vehicle and fled. 

Gill, who is originally from Worcester but now lives in Wales, had come to Stourport to visit her grandchildren with her husband when the incident happened on Friday (August 2) at 10pm. 

The car is believed to have been on cloned plates (Image: Handout)

Ms Rawcliffe, aged 31, from Areley Kings, said: "She just went into severe shock. She has always been a nervous driver but this has left her terrified. 

"The men were wearing balaclavas and just left her without even checking if she was seriously injured. When she managed to phone us, she was screaming down the phone. It was so scary."

An off-duty first responder was near the scene and ran straight over to help Gill who sustained whiplash and pain in her legs. 

Ms Rawcliffe said the fire service thought she might have a serious spinal injury so were initially going to cut her out of the vehicle. 

She is now suffering from the aftereffects of the incident and has been left traumatised. 

CCTV shows the suspects fleeing the scene (Image: Handout)

Mr Rawcliffe, who is a self-employed cleaner, said: "Police believe the car was on cloned plates so we don't know who was driving it. I took my mother-in-law back to the accident site over the weekend. She heard a car screech and just stood frozen.

"This hasn't just had a mental impact but the car has been badly damaged so my mother and father-in-law can't get home or do their jobs.

"She works as a nanny and often takes children in the car so I dread to think what could have happened if my two children were with her.

"If she can't get back behind the wheel again due to the trauma then it might also stop her from doing the job she really loves."

The family is now appealing to the community for information including CCTV and dashcam footage of the incident to help them find those responsible. 

West Mercia Police are investigating the incident to try and find the driver and passenger of the other vehicle. 

Damage to the car (Image: Handout)

Ms Rawcliffe said: "We are so grateful to the first responder who came to help my mother-in-law as well as the police, fire and ambulance service. The first responder even came to visit her to check she was okay after the collision.

"We also want to say thank you to the community who have come forward as witnesses as well as The Astley Cross Inn. It really helps to restore faith in humanity after such a horrible incident. 

"The footage we have so far doesn't give a clear picture of the men involved so we are appealing to those in the area to come forward if they have information or CCTV that could help us. We just want those responsible to be held accountable for their actions."

The two men decamped the vehicle and fled (Image: Handout)

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: "We were called to The Astley Cross Inn, Stourport-on-Severn at around 10.05pm on Friday, August 2, following reports of multiple car collision.

"Enquiries are currently ongoing to locate the driver and passenger of the car that failed to stop and left the scene."

Anyone with information or CCTV footage should contact West Mercia Police.