A DRIVER says she’s 'lucky’ her car didn’t blow up after thieves drilled a hole into the petrol tank and stole her fuel.

Monica Stephenson, aged 66, discovered her car’s petrol tank had been damaged when she was leaving a petrol station and the fuel came ‘gushing’ out.

Mrs Stephenson, who has recently moved to Madresfield Road, in Newland, said: “I was lucky that when I started the car it didn’t blow up. I feel annoyed, but I’m just glad no one got hurt. It’s not a nice welcome to the area. This has caused so much aggravation. I’d hate it to happen to anyone else.”

Mrs Stephenson had parked her car on the road outside her home, when she said petrol was drained from her Mini Cooper Countryman during a night-time raid.

Mrs Stephenson put £55 of petrol in her car on September 9 but said the next day the gauge was showing no petrol in the car. She drove to Morrison’s Petrol Station, in Roman Way, and put a further £50 worth of fuel in. As she was leaving the garage, she said a member of staff came running out shouting ‘stop the car.’

Mrs Stephenson added: “There was a gush of fuel coming out. It looked like a river. Masses of fuel was pouring out.”

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The Mini has been taken to Rybrook Worcester Mini garage and will need a tank replacement. The fire service was called to the fuel leak at 10.22am on September 10.

A spokesman said: “Crew plugged the leak and the forecourt was washed down using a hosereel jet.”

Mrs Stephenson said: “The fire brigade told me that when you drill it makes a spark. It would have gone into the petrol and it could have started a fire."