Shoppers watched aghast as two drivers fought over a parking space in a near-empty Mid Sussex car park.

Police are investigating the alleged road rage incident between a van driver and a female motorist at Pease Pottage service station on the M23 near Crawley yesterday.

The row began when the van driver nipped into a parking space which the woman was about to drive into, even though there were many other free spaces.

The woman got out of her car and started shouting before punching and kicking the man to the floor. A tense stand-off followed after he got back into his car and blocked her exit.

Dave Herbert, a distribution manager, said: "The woman was only 5ft something and the bloke was at least 6ft and gangly, but she was furious.

"They started shouting at each other, and she went up to him, kicked him between the legs, punched him in the face and drove off.

"He was left on the ground but got back in this van, drove the wrong way round the parking lot and cut the woman off at the exit.

"They both sat there, waiting, until he relented and backed away. However, she was still really angry and got out of her car and started kicking his van.

"The last thing I saw before I drove off was the man getting out of his van with what looked like a crowbar."

Police are appealing for witnesses.