"I SAW my life flash before my eyes."

Those are the words of a Hampshire mum whose car was hit from behind by a van and skidded into a brick wall.

Sharon Worthington, a mother of three, was driving to her home in Grange Park, Hedge End on November 21 along Upper Northam Road, at around 6.40pm, when she slowed down to a halt to go around a parked car.

It was at that point a white van described as a big van, similar to a Transit, hit the back of her silver 2003 Peugeot 307, sending her completely out of control, and towards Grange Nursing homes’ brick wall.

The 44-year-old said: “I thought I was going to die. I saw my life flash before my eyes. I felt the impact of the wall, and then when the airbags popped open I knew I was alive.”

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The West End resident has two boys aged 19 and 17, and a girl aged 12.

“I thought my children were going to be orphans", she said.

“I’m a widow. I lost my husband to cancer in 2006, and my kids were all I could think about. I’m so lucky I was alone in the car.”

“I could smell burning and the thought that the car was going to explode came into my head.

“I tried to get out but my door was wedged against some hard bushes so I couldn’t open it properly.

“I managed to squeeze myself out, and I started shouting for help. I was trapped in by three large bins and someone helped jump over them.

“Once I got away I just laid down on the grass. I was very shaken up."

Sharon said she wanted to thank everyone that helped in the aftermath, including Debbie Hickman and Ricky Lopes.

A Hampshire Constabulary spokesperson said: “We received the call at 6.50pm stating that there was a two vehicle collision between a car and a van, and the car collided with a wall. The van driver absconded from the scene.”

Sharon added: “Afterwards a bystander came up to me and told me that the van driver just drove off.”

“The white van must be easy to spot. He would have silver paint all over the front and a massive dent as well.

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“If he would have stopped I wouldn’t have been so annoyed. Accidents like this happen you know.

“The fact he just drove off has really annoyed me and no one on the scene was able to catch his registration.

“I really just want him found now. I’m willing to go as far as to offer a reward for anyone who can find him.”

Sharon was treated on the scene by a paramedic crew who put her in one of the nursing homes’s wheelchairs and wheeled her inside.

Alana Ramsey, 18, who is a kitchen assistant at Grange said: “I walked out just after it happened and I could just hear a lot of shouting and a crowd of people. I saw my mum helping her out the car and practically lifting her over the bins.

“It was really scary because she was breathing so fast and saying how her children were nearly orphans.

“It’s so horrible that the van driver just drove away. I hope he gets caught.”

Anyone who has information about this incident has been asked to call 101, quoting reference 44180437059.