A FORMER Mayor of Bolton frightened off a would-be car-thief . . . by shouting at him.

The scruffily dressed man tried to get into the car of Honorary Alderman Mrs Barbara Hurst as she parked in Bath Street, Bolton town centre yesterday.

As the man pulled at the door handle, he told her: "This car is mine."

Shouted

But pensioner Mrs Hurst shouted at the man to get off the car, and he ran away.

Mrs Hurst was on her way to the Bolton Woman of the Year awards and charity luncheon at the Moat House Hotel. Although shaken, she went on to the luncheon to witness awards made to several local women.

Police are investigating.

Full details of the Bolton Woman of the Year 1998 awards will be in Monday's BEN.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.