Plucky Amanda Banham and her daughter took off on a Starsky and Hutch-style chase through a Bradford estate after spotting thieves driving off in her car.

The 47-year-old had just received a call from husband, Geoff, who had popped to a local store in her K-reg Ford Escort to do some shopping.

"He phoned to say the car had been stolen and could I come and pick him up," she said.

She and 20-year-old daughter Kelly got in Mr Banham's car - an A-reg Escort - and started driving towards the Morrisons store in Girlington from their home.

That was the start of a 30- minute chase in which the duo twice came face to face with the thieves.

"I had just reached the bottom of Sunningdale when I saw my car with three white youths in it - I was stunned.

"For some reason they pulled up in a layby so I drove alongside them and told them it was my car - I was so mad.

"Kelly had her mobile so she started dialling 999 but she had difficulty getting through to anyone.

"Then they managed to drive out from alongside us and they went back up Sunningdale.

"I turned round and followed them and then turned right into Rhodesway.

"They turned left into Allerton Road but I lost sight of them so I decided to head towards the Allerton estate. Then I turned into Saffron Drive - and saw my car coming towards me.

"The look on the driver's face was unbelievable - he was so surprised they near enough stopped alongside us.

"All this time Kelly was on the phone telling the police where we were and that we had them in sight.

"They drove off back up Saffron Drive and turned left into Allerton Road, the way we had come."

Mrs Banham said the police telephoned their home at about 6.15pm to say the car had been found abandoned.

"The youths did some damage but I think with us following them all that time they didn't have a chance to burn it or get rid of it.

"I was really angry with the police because they could have caught them twice - when they stopped - but not one police car turned up.

"I'm considering making an official complaint against the police."

A police spokesman said: "We are concerned to hear about this and we shall be looking into the circumstances of the incident.

"The police do have to prioritise all calls that come in from members of the public to ensure they deal with the most urgent as quickly as possible."

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