Blind woman's terrifying ride

Judith Mason feared the car might crash

A blind woman who was taken on a terrifying ride when a thief stole the car she was sitting in has been speaking of her ordeal.

Judith Mason was in the passenger seat of a Ford Focus when her partner Ron Roberts stopped at a garage in Liverpool to buy some sweets on Thursday evening.

He left the keys in the ignition but, while he was paying, a man got into the car and drove it away.

The thief then drove the car erratically for several minutes before stopping and telling 41-year-old Miss Mason get out.

She said: "At first I didn't know it was someone else driving, I thought it was Ronnie.

I cannot comprehend someone doing that to a blind woman - it is just beyond me Ron Roberts, Judith Mason's partner

"But he was driving like a mad man and I realised it must be someone else.

"I was panicking and crying. I remember saying 'Please, I don't want to die'. I thought my life was going to end."

She added: "He stopped the car and told me to get out. I said 'I'm blind, I don't know where I am' but he just said 'Get out of the car, love'.

"At that point I had no idea where I was and no mobile phone. I was terrified and for some reason I thought they had Ronnie in the car with them and they were going to do something to him."

She was eventually picked up by a motorist and taken back to the garage to be reunited with her 40-year-old boyfriend.

Green car

Mr Roberts, of Everton, said: "I was so relieved to see Jude again. I had only left the car for three or four minutes and when I realised it had gone I felt sick.

"I thought they might do something to her or even kill her.

"I cannot comprehend someone doing that to a blind woman. It is just beyond me."

Miss Mason lost her sight five years ago as a result of diabetes.

The incident happened at 2230 GMT at a BP garage in the Broad Green area of Liverpool.

Merseyside Police appealed for witnesses or anyone who saw the green Ford Focus, registration MX02 CXU, to come forward.