A MUM had a lucky escape when her own van ran her down after her two-year-old toddler accidentally released the handbrake.

Noelia Rodriguez desperately tried to reach in and stop the runaway vehicle in Cinderford High Street, but fell and was trapped underneath as the van rolled downhill.

Shocked shoppers and passers-by rushed to help her partner try to lift the van off the 30-year-old mum opposite the Magic Wok Chinese restaurant, and they managed to free her before the emergency services arrived.

Ms Rodriguez, from Hillersland, near Coleford, said: “As soon as the van began moving, I was like ‘God, I’ve got to stop it, the baby’s not strapped in, I’ve only got seconds’.

“I was running with the van by the driver’s door trying to reach in and stop it, and then I tripped over and fell under the van. It was so heavy on top of me. I thought I was under the wheel, but I was actually trapped under the driver’s door up against the kerb.

“I felt like the whole of my life was passing me by. The pain was so bad, I thought I may never be able to walk again. I was in total shock.”

She explained how she was just taking son Lyanz’s shoes off before strapping him in his seat during last Friday’s evening rush hour when the child released the pull mechanism handbrake on their Mercedes Vito van.

“We were parked on a slope beside Cinderford’s main street around 5.45pm, and it was very busy with lots of cars and suddenly the van started moving downhill,” she said.

“The people who help­ed lift it off me were totally amazing. I just can’t thank them en­ough.”

Ms Rodriguez was taken to Glou­cestershire Royal Hospital by ambulance, where she was treated for bruising to her stomach and back, a bloodshot eye and an injured knee before being released.

Carpenter partner Lief Stone, 30, said: “It was a very lucky escape, the outcome could have been very different. We’re very relieved.

“The driver’s door clipped a parked car, slowing it, and the back wheels went down a verge and onto the pavement before it stopped.

“Thankfully it stopped where it did, or it could have gone into the path of cars and buses on the road, which was very busy.

“Noelia fell over onto her front and the driver’s door went over her back and pinned her to the verge, completely trapping her underneath,” he added.

“I screamed for people to help and about eight of us managed to lift the van off her after about five minutes. Noelia was in a lot of pain and finding it hard to breathe, but we’re so grateful to all those who helped. They were brilliant.

“Lyanz was crying when his mum was on the floor, but he’s fine now. And I think we’ll have to look at buying another van, as the handbrake in ours is just too easy to release.”