A YOUNG woman narrowly avoided a crash after thieves drilled a hole in her fuel tank.

Jade Relton, 23, skidded on a road because petrol had poured over her tyres.

Her Fiat Punto stopped sideways across Nether Mayne, Basildon, where it could easily have caused an accident.

Her car was one of 15 vehicles in Pitsea which had been tampered with last week.

She said: “I nearly lost my life over it because petrol was on my tyres and brakes and the car ended up across the road outside Basildon Hospital.

“I skidded and lost control. I was absolutely petrified. I’ve never been so scared.”

It is believed her car had been targeted by thieves outside her home in The Sycamores, Pitsea, on Sunday night.

She will now need a new tank which could leave her £400 to £450 out of pocket.

Miss Relton wants to warn other people to check fuel is not leaking before driving off.

She said: “I didn’t realise my petrol tank had been done because I park on the kerb.

“There was no overspill on the floor and I didn’t notice it until I was driving back from the hospital at about 10.30am the next day.

“I’m a bit worried someone else is going to have this happen, but not be as lucky as me.”

Leigh Corke, police station commander at Basildon, said modern fuel tanks are made of plastic so are unlikely to explode when drilled into. But spillages across the road, particlarly of diesel, can cause accidents.

He said: “If the road is wet and you’ve got diesel poured on it, it becomes slippery and could cause skids.”

Police have stepped up patrols in the area to catch the fuel thieves out. Anyone with information can call Basildon police on 0300 3334444.