A TERRIFIED driver had her car rammed around Wimborne Square by a road rage attacker in a 4x4.

The 41-year-old flashed the lights and beeped the horn as she tried to flee the driver.

The local woman’s silver hatchback was repeatedly bumped around the Square by the driver of the red 4x4, who then sped off down King Street, overtaking a car.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, at around 2.45pm on Tuesday, June 21.

Police Constable Cath Eaton, of East Dorset Police, said: “I believe the offending vehicle was a red 4x4. The victim was driving a silver hatchback, which received some damage.

“I would like to speak to the driver of another vehicle, a blue estate car, which was overtaken on King Street.

“The hatchback was flashing its lights and sounding its horn trying to get away from the offending vehicle which would have drawn some attention.

“I am also appealing for anyone who witnessed this incident to contact me urgently.”

The AA’s head of road safety, Andrew Howard, advised road rage victims to keep calm and not do anything to anger their aggressor any more.

“I think incidents are a lot rarer than people think,” he said. “With road rage I think you end up talking about basically nasty people.

“It’s not a mild mannered motorist who suddenly goes berserk. They are genuinely a nasty person who would argue and come to blows about a queue for tickets at a train station, or not getting served in the pub.”

As the weather heats up, so do people’s tempers, so drivers will see more cases over the summer months, he added.

“The very worst thing to do is exchange swear words or shake your fists,” Mr Howard said.

“Because a road rage driver will go to lengths you cannot think of. The big messages are that if it happens out of the blue, there’s very little you can do except thank goodness you’ve got your seatbelt on and sit tight.”

Wimborne’s mayor, Councillor Robin Cook, said there was “no excuse” for such behaviour.

Cllr Cook said: “Road rage is a phenomenon that has picked up through people’s impatience.

“In society today it’s all about self, self, self and people have no consideration for anybody else anymore.”

The Square’s parking spaces will disappear and its paved area will double under a £410,000 improvement project starting early next year. Cllr Cook said he hoped this would go some way towards improving traffic flows and tempers.

Anyone with information should call Dorset Police on 01202 22 22 22 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.