A terrified mother was left dripping with blood after she was attacked by a knife-wielding man in a supermarket car park in broad daylight.

The apparently unprovoked assault happened outside the busy Tesco store in Bridge Road, Sheerness, around 2pm yesterday as stunned shoppers watched in horror.

The woman, who has not been named by police, was sitting in her car waiting for her partner, who was shopping in the store. Her young child was asleep on the back seat.

The woman’s distraught mother said: “My daughter was in her car at Tesco when some man opened the driver’s door and got in telling her: ‘Don’t say anything’.

“He then took a knife to her. She grappled with him while in her seat belt and grabbed the knife and managed to somehow push him out of the car.

“He dropped the knife but while my daughter was screaming for help and pouring with blood two men helped grab him.”

The mother, who posted a warning on Facebook, added: “She (my daughter) is very badly shook up and very emotional at the fact her and (her child) could have been seriously hurt or lost their lives.

“I just want to share this with all that we know so you all keep yourselves safe. As a family we are proud of how well she managed in such a difficult and unexpected attack.

“We are so grateful we still have her with us. This could have been such a worse ending.”

It is understood the woman suffered cuts to her hand as she fought her attacker. It is believed staff from Tesco helped restrain the man until police arrived.

Police confirmed they were called following a report of a disturbance at 2.45pm.

A spokesman said today: “Officers attended and arrested a 20-year-old man from Sheerness on suspicion of assault and theft.”

The man was later arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage and is still in police custody.

Police said paramedics from SECAmb treated a woman for a “minor injury”.