THE former chairman of a village community group was nearly run over by a getaway car after a pensioner’s home was burgled.

Terrified Michael Shepstone-Trewertha – who recently retired from Tarvin Residents Association – had to dive off Hockenhall Avenue, Tarvin, while a car accelerated towards him.

He said: “It was a grey, four door Fiat. I was crossing Hockenhall Avenue and thought ‘that car has to stop – it’s going to knock me over.’

“I had to jump out of the way, it was very frightening – I was absolutely terrified.”

Detective Constable Vicki Clark, of the pro-active policing team, based in Blacon, said: “On November 28, at about 10.30am, a male purporting to be from the water board wanted to come in and check the taps.

“Once inside he was joined by two other males who gained entry to the property unbeknown to the elderly female. They have been disturbed by a visitor and then left the address and made off in a vehicle. We are asking for people in the rural areas to be vigilant, there’s obviously someone around doing this type of thing.”