A veterinary nurse appealed today for people to help catch the driver of a stolen Audi who sped off after smashing into her car, before he kills.

Jennine Iredale, 29, escaped with severe whiplash injuries when her Nissan Micra was hit by the car which tried to dive in front of her, ahead of oncoming traffic.

But as she scrambled out of the wreckage the other driver raced away from the scene.

Mrs Iredale was driving home from work when her car was struck at the junction of Thornton Road and Grattan Road, in Bradford.

She said: "I was at the head of the queue and was just pulling away from the junction when I saw a blue flash and was hit on the driver's side. My car was spun round and hit the lamp-post. The front of my car just dropped off. I managed to get out and sat in someone's car but I was hysterical when the ambulance got there. They put me in a neck collar and on a stretcher board and took me to Bradford Royal Infirmary."

Mrs Iredale was treated for severe whiplash and kept in hospital overnight but is now back at work on light duties.

She said police had told her the registration plate of the other car, a royal blue Audi A6, was false and they believe it had been stolen.

She added: "Witnesses saw the other driver, an Asian man, tearing up in the wrong lane and he tried to get in front of me. He accelerated to try to get through but there was no space and he clipped an oncoming car and then hit me. He must have been going quite fast.

"Thankfully, I did not suffer any major injuries but I am badly shaken. When you look at the state of my car it is a miracle I was not seriously hurt or even killed.

"I want this person traced before he does kill someone. He knew he couldn't get through that gap and he didn't care. I think he will do it again. He never stopped to see if I was dead or alive. I could have been dead and he just drove off." The accident happened at 5.20pm last Monday and police are checking CCTV cameras for sightings of the Audi, which would have been damaged on its near-side.

Police confirmed the accident had been reported to them and inquiries were ongoing. Witnesses should call police on (01274) 376459.