Girl tells of hijack ordeal

A calm and collected Rachel relives the drama

A Scottish schoolgirl has spoken of an ordeal in which a man hijacked the family car while she was still sitting in the back seat.

Rachel Kennedy, aged eight, said she was told to put her head down and asked if she was okay by the opportunist thief who jumped into the driver's seat of the VW Golf.

The drama began on Friday night when the Kennedys, from Livingston, West Lothian, stopped for fuel at a BT garage in Berkshire.

Allison Kennedy: "I can't imagine what Rachel went through"

Rachel's mother, father and brother popped into the petrol station leaving the key in the ignition.

Allison Kennedy said: "I can't imagine the terror my daughter must have felt because we were feeling so distraught and helpless.

"It was this feeling of helplessness and what might happen to her.

"It was just every parents' worst nightmare. I can't begin to tell how awful it was. Life seemed to stand still."

The family had spent the half term school break with friends in Amersham, Bucks.

'He called me sweetheart'

The last excursion before returning to Scotland had been a tour of Legoland in Windsor.

Rachel's family could only look in disbelief as they saw their car being driven off at high speed.

CCTV shows the thief who stole the car

The hijacker drove to Manor Park, in Slough, before he discovered Rachel was inside.

He told her she would not be harmed and then bungled her out of the car and into another vehicle.

Rachel told BBC Scotland's Reporting Scotland: "On the way someone said to put my head down and I did so.

"The man talked to me, he said are you okay. He called me sweetheart."

She added: "They were really quite nice. They just wanted the car."

Distressed but unharmed

Rachel's journey ended at the emergency department of nearby Wexham Park Hospital.

Rachel Kennedy's journey ended at Wexham Park Hospital

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said the girl was very distressed after the incident but was not harmed in any way.

The spokesman added: "It was a very traumatic experience for the whole family who had just had a good day out at Legoland in Windsor.

"Fortunately it all ended well but it serves as a harsh reminder that keys should never be left in the ignition."

The family car was later found abandoned on Penn Road, Slough.

Rachel was able to give a good description of the men involved when she spoke to police.

But Thames Valley officers are appealing for anyone who saw the initial theft or Rachel being dropped at the hospital, in a green or blue car, to contact them immediately.