Maniac driver causes terror in Milton Keynes mounting footpaths and trying to steal car with young child in the back

Witnesses have described how a maniac driver caused terror over the weekend, mounting footpaths near a bus and bus stop full of passengers and then attempting to hijack a car with a young child in the back.

The drama unfolded at Heelands on Saturday when a man in a white Mercedes, believed to be stolen, was seen driving at speed and erratically along footpaths and down redways, narrowly missing pedestrians.

A video shows him swerving the car off the redway, within feet of a bus waiting for passengers to embark.

Police were called but the car sped off down the middle of the road.

This happened on the V6 Grafton street, at the bus stop in Heelands, next to Tesco.

Shortly afterwards, just before 2pm, another terrifying incident unfolded at the Shell filling station at Stacey Bushes, three miles away.

Witnesses say a white Mercedes was involved in a crash and a woman on the forecourt asked if the driver needed help.

The driver then started attacked the Good Samaritan, trying to seize her keys to snatch his car.

Alarmingly, the woman’s daughter was sitting in the back of the car, watching in fear as her dad grappled to keep his keys.

Afterwards the mum took to social media, saying: “I was attacked by a man who had stolen a car then crashed it ... (he) then tried to steal my car keys and drive away with my eight-year-old daughter in the car.

"We're both absolutely petrified and shaken up. He had a hold of me, gripping me and dragging me around trying to take my keys off me.”

Within minutes police cars arrived in a mass of sirens and a man was arrested.

“The whole petrol station was shut down. Police were everywhere and when I was able to leave he was still being restrained on the floor,” said the mum.

Messages of concern flooded in on Facebook and the victim thanked everyone, saying: "My daughter is still really shaken up but she seems to be settling now... I'm still an anxious mess.

“这可能是更糟糕的是,他可以开车n off with my daughter in the car but it didn't come to that thankfully.

"I thought he crashed his car and needed help... I was just trying to help. Next time I'll be staying in my car like everyone else because no-one seemed to want to help me until he was restrained.”

Soon people were putting two and two together and linking it to the Heelands incident.

One woman posted: “What did the man look like? A man ran onto our bus from a white car and started begging everyone to help him. He then got back in the car and drove into the middle of the road.

"Surprised nobody called the police before he got to the garage - he sounds like he was driving about for quite a while.”

Strangely, police have put out no press release, witness appeal or information following the drama. We have approached Thames Valley Police for a statement.