A HORRIFIED mother feels “lucky to be alive” after a “dangerous” driver ploughed straight at her and her two young children while they were using a zebra crossing.

Trudi Morgan, from Hockley, was forced to suddenly pull her four and seven-year-old boys out of the way when a red Nissan Micra came hurtling towards them while they were out on the school run.

The frightened family had waited for all traffic to stop at the crossing outside Hockley Barbers on Southend Road, before cautiously stepping out into the road.

Just moments later, an elderly driver – who Trudi first thought had fallen asleep at the wheel – continued driving straight on towards them, with the mum-of-two forced to quickly pull her youngsters to safety.

Reduced to tears after the terrifying ordeal, Trudi says her children are now too scared to even use the crossing and worry about crossing the road.

The 41-year-old, explained: “We were walking to school at the time and waited until all the cars had stopped.

“We thought any reasonable driver which came along would also stop, so we walked out in the road.

“But this driver kept going right at us. Thankfully I had both Henry and Barnaby’s hands and had to quickly yank them out the way. I’ve never held my kids tighter.

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“She carried on past without an inch of thought, and didn’t stop at all. My body was left completely shaking.

“Other drivers were beeping her, all absolutely shocked at what they saw. I don’t even think that she is aware of the chaos she caused.”

Devastatingly, Trudi has always been extremely cautious about crossing the road safely since losing her pregnant sister, who was killed after being hit by a car.

She continued: “When I was ten I lost my sister, but it’s still very raw. Me and the boys were dressed in bright colours and were physically on the crossing, so the whole thing has shaken us up.

“When the driver was coming at us her head was tilted back and it looked like her eyes were shut, so I thought she was asleep. But she managed to manoeuvre round the road after so she couldn’t have been. She shouldn’t be on the road.”

Anyone with any information or who witnessed the near accident – which took place around 8.10am on Monday – should contact Essex Police on 101.