A WOMAN driver today spoke of her terrifying ordeal as she was ordered out of her car on a deserted country lane in North Yorkshire.

The mother-of-two, who was too frightened to be named, was driving from Sherburn-in-Elmet towards Selby when she noticed a dark blue car containing two men following her.

After several miles she signalled to turn right - and the Y-registered Ford Focus behind her also indicated to go the same way.

The woman, whose two-year-old son was in the back seat of her Fiat Uno, said that at first she thought it was an unmarked police car.

She told the Evening Press: "As they turned right, they put blue flashing lights on which were fixed to the front grill of the car.

"I honestly thought it was the police, and pulled over to the side of the road."

She said: "The driver sank down into the seat so I could only see his eyes and the passenger got out.

"He had his coat over his arm and as he got to my door he reached out as though there was something under the coat.

"He swore at me and told me to get out of the car.

"I just hit the accelerator as hard as I could and didn't bother looking back."

Terrified and shaking, she sped away from the Ford and then frantically phoned her husband on her mobile phone.

The distressed couple, who live in Burn, near Selby, drove immediately to Selby police station, where they reported the incident.

The 29-year-old woman says she is now frightened to go out in her car.

She said: "It has made me paranoid when I'm driving on my own. I am continuously checking the mirrors."

The driver of the Focus was black. His passenger was white, with fair skin and hair that was shaved at the back.

He was wearing a white shirt, blue jeans and trainers, and was in his 20s.

A police spokesman said: "The woman acted in the right way by getting away and going straight to the police.

"Police officers not in uniform would identify themselves and unless it was very serious we would not be looking to stop women on lonely roads."

Updated: 10:55 Wednesday, October 03, 2001