A MAN who had his Land Rover stolen said he thought his wife had been killed when the thief deliberately ran her over as he made his escape.

The 63-year-old man, who has asked not to be named, had just returned home to Orchard Way, in Chigwell, after visiting his daughter in hospital, when his wife alerted him to the sound of someone starting up his Land Rover Discovery.

He said: “With it being a cul-de-sac they had gone to turn round at the bottom of the road. We rushed out flagging the guy down then he stopped which was surprising- we thought he'd just drive on.

“I went round the driver's side of the car to talk to him. My wife was at the front of the car. He said to me 'What do you want mate?' and I said 'I want my car back', but as soon as I said that he stepped on the accelerator.

“I was trying to grab the keys and was dragged along the road. I was hanging out the window when I saw him hit my wife. I thought she might die- she went right in the air and smacked her head on the road.”

His 58-year-old wife said: “I was three inches in front of the car and I thought at the time I was going to go directly under it. I thought 'I'm going to die here'. He ended up hitting me and I landed on the ground and I thought he was going to go over my legs.

“I actually went in the air about 10 to 15 feet and landed on my head. I've got a big bump.”

The couple were taken to hospital by ambulance after the incident with the man needing nine stitches in his hand.

As well as having a daughter in intensive care, he had also recently undergone a triple heart bypass.

“The last thing we wanted was to be run over by a lunatic,” he said. “It's attempted murder- you don't just drive straight at people. He could have killed my wife and quite clearly didn't care.

“I didn't think he'd drive off again, but in hindsight it's not worth it. We should have just let him go.”

Anyone with information about the incident, which happened around 8.10pm last Wednesday, May 5, should contact Epping CID on 0300 333 4444, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.