A night shift worker has been left badly shaken after he was attacked in Huntingdon by a man who tried to snatch his car in the early hours of last Friday (November 24).

The attacker attempted to wrestle the car keys away from him but the driver was able to make off with the man still shouting after him.

The 42-year-old victim, who did not want to be named, told The Hunts Post: “I was really shaken. I just don’t want this to happen to anybody else.”

Councillor Leedo George, a friend of the victim, said it had been the second attack in the area in recent weeks and urged residents to be on their guard.

“I want to make sure people are aware of it,” Cllr George said.

The victim said he had been going out to do a night shift at Sainsbury’s just after 3am and was moving his car out of the parking area when the attack happened.

“I saw something move and it was a man who came over to the car and asked for a lighter. I said I didn’t have a lighter and don’t smoke,” the victim said.

The victim said he tried to move the car, but the man was standing in the middle of the road, preventing him from getting past.

“He leaned in to my car and showed me a piece of a cigarette and said he knew there was a lighter,” the victim said.

He said the man leaned in to the car and tried to snatch the keys, forcing him down on the seat with his arm across his neck which was painful.

“It all happened in seconds,” he said.

The victim said he was able to get the car going and drove off.

“When I got to Sainsbury’s they asked what had happened and told me to call the police,” he said. “I am still in shock.”

A police spokesman said: “We were called at 3.53am with reports of an assault in Thongsley, Huntingdon.

“The victim was getting in to his car when he was approached by another man who pushed him and tried to take his keys. The victim managed to drive away from the scene and was uninjured.”

Cllr George said they victim had been recovering from a stroke and had been hard hit by the incident.

“I want to spread the news to all of Huntingdon that this is happening,” he added.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Cambridgeshire police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.