“I CAME back inside, cuddled my baby and just broke down,” said Laura James moments after a hit and run driver wrote off her car.

The 30-year-old was at her home in Henchard Crescent with her husband Carl, mother Shirley Bowman and 10-month-old baby Fabian at about 6.15pm on Friday when they heard a collossal bang as a car ploughed into her black Citroen DS4, parked outside the house.

In the time it took for the family to investigate the noise, the driver – who was described by witnesses as a young, dark-haired man – had sped away from the scene, leaving Laura facing a £500 excess on her insurance and an increase in her insurance premium for next year.

“My husband had only just got home and we were about to go out do some food shopping, and it was only because my mum was there that we were a little bit delayed.

“If we hadn’t been then I could have been putting my baby in the car when he crashed into it.

“He crashed into the left-hand side of my car with the left-hand side of his car and completely crushed it. Carl works for Cotswold BMW in Cheltenham and he knew as soon as he saw the damage that it was a write-off.

“I was just so shocked that anyone could do something like that and then drive off.

“It’s not just the damage to the car, it’s the financial implications. I’m on maternity leave at the moment and we’re going to struggle to find the excess and my premium will double because I will be making a claim.”

From debris at the scene and information from her neighbours, the car involved in the incident is thought to have been a grey Ford Focus manufactured between 1995 and 2005.

Laura is now urging anyone who may know anything about the car or its driver to come forward.

She said: “It just seems strange to me because we’re on a crescent and people only tend to come here if they live here or they are visiting someone.

“Somebody must know someone or have seen something and I’m just urging them to come forward and own up.”

Wiltshire Police are investigating and have asked for anyone with information to call.

A spokesman said: “The vehicle was probably a grey or silver Ford Focus and, considering the damage that was caused to the other vehicle, it is likely to have sustained some damage from the collision.

“We are appealing for witnesses who may have been in the area at around 6.20pm on Friday or who may have seen the Ford Focus involved in the incident.”

Witnesses can call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.