A PLUCKY woman motorist suffered shock and bruising when she attempted to prevent a thief stealing her car.

Judith Wiltshier, 63, was putting a bag in the back of the vehicle when a man got in the driver's seat.

When he turned on the engine she grabbed hold of the back of his collar and pulled tight, screaming for him to stop. But she was thrown on the floor as he drove away.

Mrs Wiltshier, a charity volunteer in Canterbury, said: "I had unlocked the central locking and unfortunately left the keys in the ignition while I opened the door behind the driver's seat to load my shopping.

"I was just putting my first bag in when I became conscious that something was happening around me, of the driver's door being opened and that a man had jumped in.

"I asked him what he was up to but there was no response and when I heard the engine turning over I realised what was going on.

"I grabbed the back of his shirt collar and hung on shouting 'No, no ,no', then he revved the engine hard and I was thrown on the ground as he drove off."

The heavily-built man with dark brown hair, thought to be in his thirties, left the car park in the red Subaru Impreza registration M917 RKO driving in the direction of St Stephen's Road.

Mrs Wiltshier denies acting courageously. She said: "It was just a natural instinct to stop somebody from doing something wrong."

The incident happened last Thursday at about 12.30pm. Police are urging anyone with information about the car thief to call them on 01227 817168 or call Crimestoppers confidentially on 0800 555 111.