A HOLMFIRTH man faced a terrifying ordeal as he tried to stop his van from being stolen by carjackers.
Brave Mark Antrobus clung on to the bonnet of his Millside Heating Services company van to stop the two men who jumped inside the parked vehicle outside his home in Modd Lane.
He then endured a 10-minute journey from hell as the driver sped through the centre of Holmfirth, weaving across the paths of oncoming cars.
The young men, aged about 18-20, struck at 8.30am on Saturday when Mark, 43, left his van to give wife Janet a kiss goodbye before setting off for work.
When he heard the engine starting up, he ran outside in front of his van to confront the men.
He shouted at the men to get out and grabbed on to the bonnet. As the driver sped off, he was forced to hold on.
The driver then sped off down Greenfield Road towards the centre of Holmfirth, reaching estimated speeds of up to 80mph.
During the driver's attempts to shake off Mark, he hurtled towards some oncoming vehicles which skidded to a stop.
The men gave up after about 10 minutes and abandoned the van in the Co-op car park, disappearing up Huddersfield Road.
Still shaken from his ordeal, Mark said:
"The first thing that went through my mind when I saw them try to escape with my van was my determination that they would not take it.
"When my van was driven off I was forced to hang on or I could have been killed.
"My hands were badly bruised and my feet were hurt from being dragged along the road.
"I was clinging on to my van's wiper blades so I was lucky that the driver did not think to turn them on or the blades would have been prised off.
"I am really shaken up. You see these sorts of crimes on TV, but never dream they could happen to you.
"Before the men ran off, one of them actually turned round and said `Is there any chance of a lift? It's unbelievable."
Mark then took a few minutes to calm himself before driving the van back home.
Wife Janet, 41, said: "When I saw my husband being dragged away I thought that was the last time I would see him alive.
"I stood there screaming his name in the middle of the road.
"Thankfully one of our neighbours came to help me calm down.
"He was gone for only 20 minutes but it felt like a lifetime."
