A woman motorist sitting in lunchtime traffic in Oxford narrowly missed being showered with glass when her car window was smashed by a stranger.

Pippa Munsey had stopped at traffic lights in Botley Road, west Oxford, in her Mercedes SLK sports hardtop at about 1pm. Suddenly the nearside front window broke and glass flew into the passenger seat.

Edward Jones, who works for Clutton's estate agents in Beaumont Street, was waiting in the queue. He witnessed the incident on March 31 and saw someone running into a nearby house.

After checking that Mrs Munsey was unhurt, he used his mobile phone to call the police and gave them the address where the alleged attacker had fled.

He and Mrs Munsey waited in nearby Henry Road for officers, but after almost an hour-and-a-half, none had arrived.

Police have admitted the incident should have been dealt with more quickly.

Mrs Munsey, 59, eventually drove home to nearby Mill Street.

Police officers arrived in the evening to take details. They told Mrs Munsey that another car had been attacked in Henry Road shortly before her car.

Mrs Munsey was still shocked and shaken by the attack.

She said: "I've had to pay £500 excess to get a new window fitted, and I'm not going to get my insurance money without the police finding who did this."

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "This incident is being investigated."

He added: "The incident should have been resolved more quickly and the reasons behind this are being looked into."