An assault victim recognised an e-fit image of a man after reading about a similar assault in Barnet.

The 57-year-old, who has asked to remain anonymous, phoned police after reading a story on the Times Series website about an appeal to trace a man in connection with an assault in East Finchley.

Having read the story and seen the e-fit, the 57-year-old said she believed the same man was involved in a similar incident just hours later.

The woman had dropped her husband off at a nearby station and returned home to Firs Avenue, Friern Barnet, just before 8am.

As she pulled-in, she too noticed legs running towards the car before one man got in and sat in the passenger seat while another appeared at the driver’s door.

She said: “The man next to my door told me to get out of the car. I was screaming ‘help, help, help’, and he took hold of my arm and flung me onto the ground.

“They tried to steal the car but they couldn't start it. They ran off and by that time my son and neighbours were coming to help.

“I couldn’t believe it when I read about the similar incident just hours earlier.”

The woman, who still has problems with her left arm following the incident, has contacted Barnet Police who are investigating.

In the earlier incident, the 43-year-old victim had parked his vehicle in Kings Street at the junction with Central Avenue at 2.45am on November 30 last year, when he saw a man running in his mirror.

Three men then approached the driver's door and hit him close to his eye socket with an object believed to be a bottle.