EYE-witnesses told a court they saw a child banging on the window shouting, ‘Help me, help me’ as it sank into a Worcestershire river.

It is alleged Chris Grady drove into the river Avon at Evesham killing his five-year-old daughter Gabby, who was trapped in the submerged car for about two hours.

Grady’s son Ryan, now seven, managed to get out of the car and was rescued by police officers who dived in to save him.

Birmingham Crown Court was told how Grady, aged 42, was due to take the two children to school on Thursday, February 11, last year but drove into the river after telling their mother, “You’ve got 10 seconds to say goodbye to your kids”.

Nicholas Langstone, who was waiting for a delivery outside Raphael’s restaurant in Boat Lane, Evesham, said the first thing he heard was children screaming in the car which was being driven “very fast” down the narrow lane.

Mr Langstone said the silver estate car then turned left into a field and began driving “aggressively” in circles.

He said the driver then “put his foot to the floor” and headed straight for the river.

After watching the car hit the water, Mr Langstone said: “I could just make out the back end of the car. There was somebody banging on the back window. I think it was a child.

“I could hear a child’s voice saying, ‘Help me, help me’.”

Philippa Henley, who had taken her dog for a walk in the area, was first alerted by the sound of a car engine revving loudly and then saw the vehicle circling “like a boy racer” in the field.

In a statement read out to the court, she said: “I heard children in the car, I thought it could be two, there was definitely more than one voice. They were screaming with fear.

“I could hear them banging on the glass while they were going round the field and I could hear the fear in their voices.

“It was like a horror movie as the car took off straight over the bank and into the river.”

Grady, of no fixed address, denies murder and attempted murder.

The trial continues.