Eyewitnesses to a crash which left a pensioner in hospital with head injuries today said a man in a black hatchback had been shouting and swearing at her moments before the smash.

One woman witness who did not want to be named said a man tried to cut her up in Waitrose car park in Stevenage before ending up behind an elderly woman in a Mini who was trying to put a token into the exit barrier.

She said the woman was unable to leave the car park before the barrier came down and the man hurled abuse at her. The mini then smashed through the barrier, across Primett Road and hit a tree.

“He was shouting and swearing at her. I don’t think she could reach the barrier – they are impossible,” she said.

“I don’t know if she panicked or if she hit the wrong pedal. I think it was an automatic and they just shoot off. She just went through the barrier and hit the tree.

“He must have seen it happen and then just drove off.”

“If he goes round in a car persecuting people he has got to be stopped. It is bad enough it is an elderly lady, but there could have been a few kids in there.”

The witness gave a statement to police and called on them to look at CCTV footage.

She described the male driver as white, in his 50s and wearing glasses.

The mini driver, who is in her 70s, was taken to Lister Hospital after treatment at the scene by paramedics. She suffered head and facial injuries in the crash which happened shortly after 12.30pm forcing the closure of part of the road.