A mother-of-two is recovering after she was dragged 200 yards while hanging out of a taxi window before being left lying in an East Oxford street.

Becky Sugden claimed she was grabbed through the passenger window after flagging down a private hire car outside The Regal venue in Magdalen Road, East Oxford, at about 2.30am on Sunday.

The taxi drove off with the 25-year-old hanging out of the window.

She then fell to the ground in Ridgefield Road suffering a cut to her head which needed stitches, a black eye and bruising to her legs Police are trying to trace the taxi driver who is believed to be from Royal Cars. The firm last night told the Oxford Mail it was helping police with their inquiries.

Miss Sugden said: “The taxi driver grabbed hold of my arms. The next thing I knew he put his foot down.

“I was hanging out of the passenger side window and he drove away. I was dragged along the floor and the car was going so fast my legs were scraping along the road.

“The taxi driver drove off and couldn’t have known if I was alive or not. I couldn’t walk, my legs were numb. I was basically left for dead.

“I remember hearing voices telling me police and an ambulance was on its way and then the next thing I knew was I was lying in a hospital bed.”

Police spokesman Toby Shergold there had been a disagreement between two groups of women over the taxi before one of them was dragged along by the car.

After Miss Sugden was injured the driver stopped and made the passengers get out before driving away.

Miss Sugden, of Cherry Close, in Greater Leys, has been in too much pain to go to work this week as a dinner lady at Windale Primary School, in Greater Leys.

Sgt Pauline Heilbron said police were trying to contact the driver.

She added: “I would advise him to come forward. At the moment, without his co-operation, we are treating this as a failed-to-stop injury traffic collision, which is a serious crime.”

Ibrar Mohammed, of Royal Cars in Cowley Road, said: “I am very sorry to hear one of our drivers may be involved and we are doing our best to make sure the driver comes forward.”

Royal Cars operates private hire cars, which are not normally allowed to be flagged down in the street. However, police said the firm had an agreement with The Regal to pick up customers who had not booked.

A Regal spokesman said the venue was supporting police with their investigations.

Father-of-three Richard Waters, 45, of Rising- hurst, in Oxford, suffered severe head injuries after being struck by a car outside The Regal in August and is recovering at home with long-term debilitating injuries.

A 25-year-old man from Swinton in Manchester denies two charges of causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Waters. He will appear again at Oxford Crown Court on February 5.

Anyone with information about Sunday’s incident can call police on 08458 505505 or Crime- stoppers on 0800 555 111.