A MOTORIST was catapulted into the road after she dived on to the bonnet of her car in a desperate bid to prevent it being stolen.

Education advisor Eileen Sutcliffe threw herself face-down on to the bonnet when she spotted a thief behind the steering wheel but the thief still accelerated away.

Mrs Sutcliffe, 51, of Nelson, was "bounced" off the bonnet and landed on her knees in the road.

The thief took his chance after Mrs Sutcliffe left her car -- with its engine still running -- to ask for directions.

Mrs Sutcliffe, who was on her way to attend a meeting at Bolton Sixth Form College.

As she returned to her V-registration Chrysler Neon she spotted it moving away.

"I didn't see the thief, just the car moving off," said Mrs Sutcliffe. "I screamed out that it was my car and then flung myself on the bonnet. I was determined that he was not going to steal it.

"But no matter what I did the thief was not going to stop. He put his foot down on the accelerator and I bounced off into the road, landing on my knees. I was winded and dazed."

Several passers-by went to her aid and a motorist used his mobile phone to raise the alarm.

Mrs Sutcliffe was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital and allowed home after treatment for minor cuts and bruises. Her car was later discovered abandoned a short distance away from where it was stolen. Her purse, credit cards and £25 in cash was missing but the car was undamaged.

Mrs Sutcliffe today said she was lucky to have escaped relatively unscathed.

"It could have been so much worse and I've been very fortunate indeed."

But she added: "I am still embarrassed about the incident because it was my fault for leaving the car running in the first place. The thief saw his opportunity because of my stupidity and took it."

Despite her ordeal Mrs Sutcliffe said it will not stop her visiting Bolton. "Incidents like this are not unique to Bolton," she said. "They happen throughout he country.

"The kindness of people who stopped to help me though may be. The people in the road, the ambulancemen, police and hospital staff were superb."

She added: "Society if often quick to condemn and criticise our emergency services but I can only say that the individual members of the police, ambulance and hospital services who dealt with my situation could not have cared for me better nor performed any of their duties with any greater speed and efficiency."

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