A WOMAN was chased across Basildon and nearly rammed off the road by a gang of masked men and only escaped by running a red light.

Tara Palmer says she was “absolutely terrified” after a gang of four masked men chased her through Basildon and Laindon, hounding her from all sides and driving at speeds of up to 60mph through the town centre.

The 47-year-old, from Canvey, who was working for After Hours Essex - an alcohol delivery company - on Sunday evening, when the chase unfolded, is unsure whether it was a targeted attack.

She said she was lucky to have a friend in the car who was telling her where to go as she was in a “complete panic”.

Mrs Palmer said the yobs were driving a cream coloured Nissan, with all four wearing black caps and blue masks.

She said: “They tried to overtake and undertake me as well as ram me from behind.

“I was so scared when they pulled alongside me. With the masks you couldn’t tell if they were grinning, smirking, or anything.

“I was able to get away each time, but we were doing 60mph at some stage and 50mph on the Knares.

“They had turned all their lights off too. I had to go through a red light on Durham Road to try and get away from them.”

Ms Palmer has expressed her frustration at the police investigation, as during the chase, at about midnight, she claims she was asked to drive to Basildon police station and wait for an officer to come out.

She says nobody came outside for 45 minutes, before she sat at a nearby petrol station for a further 30 minutes.

A spokesman from Essex Police apologised and added: “We received a call reporting a woman was being followed in her car in Staneway, Basildon shortly after 11.55pm on Sunday 2 August.

“We advised the woman to drive to Basildon Police Station where she would be met by an officer to ensure her welfare. Due to a miscommunication on our side, an officer did not come down to meet her.”