Last updated at 17:05, Thursday, 03 January 2013

A WOMAN was dragged from a car and abandoned on a grass verge by a motorist who she thought was a taxi driver.

Police said she had climbed into the white car in Newtown Road, Carlisle, believing it to be a cab, before the man drove her to the western bypass outside the city.

He then stopped and pulled the woman, 58, from the vehicle and left her on the grass verge between the roundabouts linking the route to Moorhouse Road and Burgh Road.

Officers said the woman, who was described as local, suffered “various minor scratches, cuts and bruises”. The incident happened in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

Detectives appealed for witnesses as an investigation continued yesterday. They also want the people who were in a vehicle that stopped to help the woman to come forward.

They also urged people to make sure that they checked they were hiring a registered taxi.

The driver was described as being white, in his late thirties and of medium build. He had short, dark, brown hair.

A force spokeswoman said: “A passing vehicle, described as a dark four-wheel drive vehicle, stopped and gave the victim a lift back into Carlisle. “The vehicle contained a man, woman and small child. “Police are appealing for the man and woman from that car to contact them as soon as possible.  Anyone with any knowledge about this incident is urged to call Carlisle CID on 101.”

First published at 17:02, Thursday, 03 January 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk