Woman attacked and car stolen in machete raid

The victim was at the wheel on Bradshawgate in Leigh when another car crashed into the back of it at the junction with King Street.

The driver of the other vehicle, a dark grey Volvo estate, then pulled alongside and motioned her to follow him down King Street and St Helens Road and onto Etherstone Street.

The 35-year-old woman believed she had found a safe place to swap details and pulled her white Mitsubishi Lancer over and got out.

However, she was met by a man carrying the large blade and wearing a balaclava.

He punched her and kicked her to the ground before taking her keys and getting into her car with another man, a passenger from the Volvo.

They drove along St Helens Road before crashing the vehicle a short time later on Newton Road, Lowton.

Both men fled the scene towards a housing estate and onto Moss Industrial Estate near to St Helens Road.

The woman suffered cuts to her head, bruising to her knees and elbows and swelling to her face.

Enquiries have established that the Volvo, which was abandoned on Etherstone Street, had been reported stolen on May 8 from the Wigan area.

Officers are appealing for witnesses to the incident and are particularly interested in speaking to a woman who witnessed the initial collision, which happened at about 4.15pm on Friday May 12.

Detective Constable Andrew Partington of GMP’s Wigan Borough, said: “This is a frightful and deceitful incident with a man brandishing a machete in broad daylight.

“We need witnesses to come forward to find the heartless criminals who took advantage of a woman’s vulnerability and attacked her in the street.

“If you are the woman who spoke directly to the driver of the Volvo, please get in touch with us, we believe you could help us identify those responsible.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 7225 or 101 quoting reference number 1590 of 12/05/17 or call the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111