Female driver's fury as '˜missile' is fired at van

But instead of fleeing the scene after the dangerous incident, the brave victim turned her vehicle around, drove to where the teenagers had fired the missile from and ended up chasing the culprits across a field in an effort to reprimand them.

However, the angry 38-year-old, who the LBO agreed not to name, and her boyfriend Mark Thorne, 40, from Totternhoe are equally livid about the police response to the attack along Stanbridge Road, Billington.

Despite having retrieved the fire extinguisher, a piece of cement and a two-litre bottle thrown at his girlfriend by the thugs when she approached them, Mr Thorne claims Beds Police were not interested in investigating further.

The incensed couple have now filed an official complaint to the Force over their lack of action following the incident near the entrance to the car boot site last Friday (July 8) at about 7.30pm.

Mr Thorne said: “When you ring 111 it’s all about we’re here to protect you and that just isn’t true. We feel totally ignored and we’re very cross. People have been killed having things thrown at windscreens.

“These guys were in the gateway to the car boot sale field and my girlfriend was driving my Ford Transit van.

“She saw three 15- to 16-year-olds there and she was aware of one of them pointing something at the van. As she got closer they fired something and she saw a puff of smoke, before the cement ball hit the windscreen.

“She went back and they threw a plastic bottle at her which she picked up and kept.

“One hid in a hedge and she chased two of them across the field. One stopped and she had words with him.

“She was quite shaken up, but she was angry and just went for it and chased them.

“When we spoke to police 30 minutes after the incident they said they’d be gone and there was little they could do.

“We went back and found the fire extinguisher in a ditch and a two-inch square lump of cement and went to Dunstable Police Station which was closed.”

Incensed Mr Thorne said his girlfriend had returned the following day to make a statement. He said officers had asked for the offenders’ names, which obviously she didn’t know.

He said: “They said there was nothing they could do, even though we had the fire extinguisher and bottle with their fingerprints on. I think she could also recognise them again.

“They said they would keep it on record and if it happened again they would look into it. What sort of message are Beds Police sending out?”

A spokesman for Beds Police confirmed the incident had been placed on hold.

She said: “Officers attended an appointment with the victim the following day and took a statement. An investigation was launched however due to evidential difficulties the case has since been filed, pending any further information coming forward.

“Although the fire extinguisher and the bottle were subsequently left at the scene forensic examination of these items is limited due to them being moveable objects and no named suspect has been identified.

“We take all reports of criminal behaviour seriously and all reports are investigated. We have taken positive action to ensure teams are briefed on the description of the group and any reports of similar behaviour in the area are being looked into to identify any linked criminality.”

The spokesman added: “We have since received a complaint in relation to the matter and it is being reviewed.”

Anyone with information or who saw a group of teenagers including a boy aged around 15 years old, 5ft4ins with brown curly hair wearing a red tracksuit is asked to contact the police on 101.