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Mum’s horror as sons trapped in runaway car

Mar 1 2009 by James Marley, Sunday Sun

Antonia Nixon with her four-year-old son Jay

A MUM watched in horror after her driverless car sped 180ft down a hill after her four-year- old son released the handbrake with him and his toddler brother strapped inside.

Antonia Nixon, 42, left her children inside the motor for moments to nip into a store to buy a bunch of flowers.

But while away, her mischievous son Jay let off the handbrake and the car began to roll down the busy street.

The car miraculously avoided parked cars and pedestrians before crashing into a fence, almost flipping over.

It came to rest and the two youngsters escaped completely unharmed.

Frantic Antonia ran to the scene expecting the worst.

But she found a bemused Leon, two, in the smashed up Vauxhall Zafira with stunned Jay, who declared: “I’m sorry I broke your car.”

Guilt-ridden Antonia said: “I can’t believe I was so stupid. Anything could have happened to the kids or anyone on that street. I’m so sorry.”

Antonia, 42, from Hartlepool, had popped into a shop in Cotsford Lane, Horden, at around 1.30pm on Sunday after visiting relatives in Peterlee.

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