Woman run over by son's stolen Audi during terrifying Black Country robbery

The family is now appealing for the public's help to catch the culprits after the robbery, which left Sharon Martin and her 38-year-old son Wayne injured.

West Midlands Police believes three men were involved in the break-in at Wayne's home on Northway, Sedgley, on Saturday night.

Sharon was run over by the £17,000 car outside her son's home. But the driver crashed into a passing vehicle and fled the scene.

'The crash saved her life'

Her husband Paul, 60, said: "We think that crash saved her life. It was perfect timing, it was quiet and there was no traffic.

"As he has come off, she has landed with her head on the road underneath the car, and this car runs straight into the passing car, stopping it dead. We reckon that saved her.

"They would have driven over her otherwise. Where she was, her head was sticking out, and they would have had to pull out with the steering wheel and drove over her."

Sharon, a school dinner lady, was dragged into the road under the car. She suffered cuts to her head and legs alongside a hand injury.

Wayne, who works in finance, suffered a broken shoulder after he was attacked while chasing one suspect down the road.

Sharon told the Express & Star: "We feared for our lives. We don't know what they could have done. We just want these people to be caught. I feel lucky to be alive."

Paving slabs through the window

Thieves broke into the back of Wayne's house, where his partner Kelly Broomhall, 38, was sleeping upstairs, at around 9pm.

Paul said two paving slabs were hurled through Wayne's back window, before it is believed two men entered the property.

Kelly was alerted to the intrusion after hearing a bang and got up, where she found a man trying to get out her front door, she said.

She called Wayne, who was next door watching television with his parents, and the family frantically rushed to her aid.

One suspect escaped up the road and Wayne chased him on foot.

Meanwhile at around the same time, another culprit had taken Wayne's car keys and got into his car, the family said.

Reversed over

Sharon was standing behind the car where, unbeknown to her, a robber was inside. The driver then reversed over Sharon, dragging her onto the Northway.

But the Audi then crashed into a passing vehicle and it is believed the robber jumped out of the car and fled the scene.

Not far up the road, Wayne had tackled the one culprit who had escaped on foot.

But he believes he was struck from behind, possibly by the man who drove over his mother, and he fell to the ground and broke his shoulder.

It is believed both men were then picked up by a getaway driver. The family saw a grey Audi parked outside their home before the break-in unfolded.

Wayne described two men as being 'white and in their early 20s'.

Police, ambulance and fire crews then descended on the scene and officers closed the road. Paramedics treated both Sharon and Wayne.

'We need to catch them'

A West Midlands Police spokesman said the force is investigating a burglary and assault.

Dc David Laver, from force CID, said: "This was a particularly distressing incident for the two people who were hurt.

"Thankfully they were not more seriously injured but it was a traumatic ordeal and we need to catch those who were responsible."

A West Midlands Fire Service spokesman said: "We did have a call to a RTC on January 19 at 9.15pm in Northway, Sedgley. We were called to the scene by West Midlands Police and we sent eight firefighters on one fire engine and one brigade response vehicle.

"This incident involved a car in collision with a woman who had been released from underneath the vehicle before we arrived. We believe she suffered multiple injuries and that the ambulance service would be taking her to Russel's Hall Hospital.

"West Midlands Police were also at the scene and we understand they are investigating the incident."

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We were called to reports of an road traffic collision at 9.15pm involving a car and pedestrian.

"One ambulance and paramedics officer attended. We treated a woman and a male who received treatment before being taken to hospital for further checks."

Police officers are conducting CCTV and house-to-house enquiries to identify the three men who fled empty-handed.

Meanwhile Wayne's Audi has been taken in for repairs and he is speaking to his insurers.

Anyone with information is asked to call police quoting crime reference number 20DY/15938Q/19.