A WOMAN who grappled with a knifeman who tried to steal her bag in a terrifying daylight attack in a York car park spoke of her ordeal this afternoon.

The 44-year-old victim, from Selby, who asked not to be named, told today how she fought off the attacker in the Peel Street car park, in George Street, at 2.15pm yesterday.

She was cut on the hand by the six-inch knife and suffered grazes and bruises in the struggle.

She said: "I had just put my shopping in the car and was heading for the driver's door when there was this face literally two inches from mine.

"He said: 'Excuse me love', and I thought he was going ask for change for the car park. Before I had chance to speak he said: 'Give me your f***ing bag'.

"I told him to get lost, but he said: 'I've got a knife. I'll kill you'."

She then felt the point of the weapon pressing against her stomach through her jumper.

"I just flipped then and the adrenaline took over," she said. "I just saw red and thought there was no way he was going to take my bag."

She lunged at her attacker and tried to push him away. In the struggle she managed to knock the knife out of his hand, or he dropped it. His spectacles were knocked off and she tried to stamp on them to disable him. He kicked her on the back of the leg and she fell to the floor.

Her attacker appeared to give up his attempts to take her bag and picked up his glasses and the knife.

An elderly man, who had been waiting to park his car, intervened asking the man what he wanted.

The knifeman pursued him before climbing into the man's car and demanding his wife's purse. His wife managed to escape from the car pursued by the attacker.

His first victim grabbed her mobile phone and shouted to the attacker that she was calling the police. He walked off from the car park. A woman who was nearby followed the man to get a description as he walked off down Margaret Street.

He was white, 5ft 8ins to 5ft 10ins, aged in his early thirties and thick set with dark spiky hair and a dark moustache. He was wearing gold-rimmed spectacles, with oblong-shaped lenses. He was wearing a blue fleece jacket, black trousers or jeans and black trainer-type shoes.

He was later seen to flag down and drive off in a red Peugeot car, possibly a 309 model.

Chief Inspector Steve Gray, acting commander for York city centre and west, said: "This lady was very brave in fighting this attacker off, and the others who got involved also showed courage.

"Although it is disturbing that such an attack should happen in the city centre at this time of day, this type of incident is relatively uncommon. We would urge anyone with information to come forward and help us to catch this man."

Anyone with information should call police in York on 01904 631321.

Updated: 14:19 Monday, May 27, 2002