A 67-year-old woman feared for her life when a garage’s car wash went wrong and shook her car so vigorously it caused damage estimated at £1,400.

Doreen Hartley said she began to pray as giant spinning brushes battered her Nissan Micra while it was inside the machine at Sainsbury’s at Quarry Wood at Aylesford.

Mrs Hartley, of London Road, Maidstone, said: “It was a terrifying experience.”

When she went to the car wash, staff told her that the machine had been out of action for a few days. However, Mrs Hartley was given the go-ahead to use it, and the member of staff who served her even offered her a free wash as a goodwill gesture.

At first, everything went smoothly, but as the brushes closed around the car for a second time, something went wrong.

Mrs Hartley said: “The car was rocked backwards and forwards as if I was in a fairground ride. Then the car wash was making dreadful noises and starting to shake me and the vehicle vigorously.

“I tooted my horn and looked in the mirror, but there was no-one there. I started to pray and I thought: 'I am going to die’.

“It ripped off a chunk of the car and threw it up into the air, and it proceeded to go backwards, still making noises. Then I saw it coming back towards me again. I thought it was going to crush me.”

When the cycle finally ended Mrs Hartley drove her car out and alerted staff.

A mechanic told her it would cost £1,400 to repair damage to the chassis and bodywork and to replace the spoiler, which had been ripped off.

Sainsbury’s has offered Mrs Hartley £200 compensation, but she is not satisfied.

“I don’t consider £200 as reasonable compensation for the trauma I’ve been through,” she stressed.

A Sainsbury’s spokesman said: “We have fully agreed to meet the costs of the repair to the car, and we have offered Mrs Hartley a goodwill gesture.

“I appreciate she found the experience traumatic and it caused damage to the car and shock to Mrs Hartley.

“We are very sorry. It’s a one-off – we haven’t had a case like it. We will get the machine fixed so it doesn’t happen to another customer.”

Consumer Direct, the consumer helpline, said Mrs Hartley had been in touch following the car wash incident.

A spokeswoman said: “We have advised Mrs Hartley of her legal rights. We have also referred the case through to Kent Trading Standards for their information.”

Anybody seeking practical consumer advice and information can contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.