Thugs target mother and child at Wolverhampton traffic lights

Sam Lee, of Sedgley, was targeted by baseball cap-wearing thugs as she pulled up at traffic lights in Parkfields, Wolverhampton. The news of the attack spread through Facebook, with others claiming that they had been victims of a similar incidents in the Black Country.

In a seemingly unprovoked attack on Friday, Miss Lee, 40, was left cowering in her car as the vandals attacked her van, pulling at the door handles and kicking the back doors. Miss Lee, who spoke out in the hope that the crooks will be captured, said: "I'd dropped my partner off in Penkridge, and I was on my way home to Sedgley driving along the Birmingham New Road.

"There was a Renault Clio driving in front of me easily below 30mph. It was go-ing so slow at times my van nearly stopped. I pulled up at the lights at the junction with Parkfields, and the car in front sharply turned into the right-hand lane. Two white men got out, and they were wearing baseball caps and started kicking my van and pulling at the handles," she said.

"I never usually lock the doors while I'm driving but for some reason I had, and I'm lucky I did. It was rocking back and forth, and they seemed to go back to their car to grab something, but I sped off, nearly hitting oncoming traffic. I drove towards Bilston, and I pulled over and called 999.

"I was like jelly. I was shaking. It was horrendous. The 999 operator had to calm me down. I'm so lucky that they didn't get in because they could have drove off with my child. I tried to go out out the next day in the van but broke down in tears.

"It has had a massive impact on me, and I don't want anyone to go through this again. I want these guys caught." Police spokesman Lee Page said: "Police are investigating a report of criminal damage to a vehicle in Wolverhampton on Friday night. The victim had stopped at traffic lights on Parkfield Road in the Parkfields area of the city at around 10.25pm when two men got out of a vehicle in front.

"They both approached her car and kicked the bodywork before getting back in their vehicle and driving away. No attempt was made to gain access to the car.

"Whilst there are only limited descriptions of the offenders two white men in their 20s officers believe they got away in a silver Renault Clio."

Witnesses or anyone who knows who may be responsible is asked to call Wolverhampton police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.