AN ANGRY woman who had her car tyres slashed is issuing a warning to residents in her area.

Gail Hopkins, who lives in Kemp Town, Brighton, discovered all four tyres on her Mercedes CLC had been cut open when she went to drive it on Friday morning.

The car was parked in Chichester Place on Thursday night when she believes it took place.

Ms Hopkins, a researcher who has lived in Kemp Town for 20 years, was forced to use a neighbour’s car to get to a dentist’s appointment due to the inconvenience she woke up to.

She said: “I was about to get in my car at about 9.30am when I noticed the tyres were flat. I thought someone has probably let the air out of them, but then I saw knife marks and realised.

“I don’t know who could have done this – I don’t have any enemies in the area.

“I heard shouting on Thursday night, but you get that often round here – it was probably just a regular argument.”

One of the tyres was stabbed multiple times.

The damage costed Ms Hopkins £250 to replace all her tyres. She was advised by her mechanic to not replace them like-for-like because of the chances of it happening again.

The cost would have been around £600 for exact replacement tyres.

Ms Hopkins said: “It has stopped me from being able to go out and do my normal errands that I have to do each day.

“I am really annoyed but also it is scary that someone is carrying round a knife with them.

“If anyone sees anything, just wait and report it. If they are doing things like this then I’m sure they would have no problems sticking the knife in you.”

Ms Hopkins has owned the Mercedes for five years. She said: “At the end of April one of my tyres was slashed and I didn’t realise until someone pointed it out.

“It is possibly the same person did this, but I’m not sure.”

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “We received a report that a woman had had all four tyres on her Mercedes car slashed in Chichester Place, Brighton, sometime between 10am on June 29 and 9.30am on June 30, causing £510 worth of damage.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information should email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or ring 101 quoting serial 519 of 30/06.