A van driver was grabbed by the throat and threatened after a near miss with a car.

His attacker eventually let him go but then punched and kicked the van.

The victim, who was in a red Miele van, had been backing out of a space at the Pease Pottage Services, near Crawley, at about midday on Monday, when a blue Sierra came round the corner, almost colliding with him.

As the van driver went to pull away, the Sierra driver pulled in front of him to block his exit, got out and grabbed the van driver by the throat.

A woman in the Sierra managed to get the attacker back in the car and they drove off just before police arrived.

An onlooker said: "The driver grabbed the van driver by the throat for a while and then just started smacking the van. The driver was okay but a bit shaken."

Anyone with information should contact Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999.