A MAN wounded during a terrifying ambush by two masked carjackers spoke of his relief last night as the pair were locked up indefinitely.

The men, who were armed with kitchen knives and wearing balaclavas, leapt from bushes as Alec Bowman parked his car outside a Mc- Donald’s in Darlington.

The 22-year-old tried to fight off Anthony Beach and Colin Smith but gave up after grabbing a blade thrust at him through the open car window, cutting his hand.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Beach, 20, then chased a bleeding Mr Bowman across the car park at Morton Park, threatening to stab him.

Meanwhile Smith, 28, who had grabbed the car keys, drove Mr Bowman’s silver Vauxhall Astra at him several times.

Last night, Mr Bowman, a piping designer, from West Park, Darlington, said: “I’m glad they are behind bars.”

“I thought they might get two years maximum, but this is great news.”

The pair, from Greater Manchester, fled in the Astra and set fire to it four miles away, next to the chrome works in Urlay Nook Road, near Eaglescliffe.

They were jailed yesterday for an indefinite term and will be released only when they are no longer considered a danger to the public.

Judge George Moorhouse told them: “This was clearly pre-planned, you were wearing balaclavas as a disguise, it was at night time, the victim was vulnerable.

“He has lost a valuable asset, which was written off, and the serious feature of the robbery is that it has caused the complainant psychological injury.”

Mr Bowman, from West Park, Darlington, had been bowling with friends in July last year, when he decided to call into McDonald’s, at Morton Park, at 10pm.

He was set upon by Beach and Smith seconds after parking his car. He told The Northern Echo: “I tried to fight for myself, but it’s hard to take on two people with knives when you are on your own.

“I grabbed one of the knives, but the other robber had one too, so I didn’t think my chances were great. I realised I had cut myself pretty badly, and that’s when I thought I’d better back off and let them get on with it.

“I shocked myself, to be honest. I have never been in a fight in my whole life, not even a little scrap in the schoolyard.

“I was traumatised for a good three months. I did not leave the house for weeks. I was scared to go out at first, then I would not go out in the dark. If I was going anywhere in my car, I would always keep the doors locked.

“Sometimes I run through it again in my head, and get a bit panicky, but I am getting back to normal.”

The court heard how Beach and Smith, who knew Darlington and had picked it as a location for the carjacking, were arrested, but bailed.

Beach then went on to commit further violent crimes.

One night in September, he broke into two houses in his home town of Wigan and brutally attacked the occupants.

Hours later, he punched and kicked a woman. He admitted the Darlington robbery, as well as two charges of aggravated burglary, wounding and assault causing actual bodily harm.

William Swalwell, for Beach, of Maple Crescent, Leigh, said his client accepted that the offences he committed were horrendous. He said Beach’s life had been blighted by drugs, but he had made progress while on remand.

Michael Johnson, for Smith, of East Avenue, Leigh, said he had been unable to cope with crises in his life and had returned to crime.

He admitted robbery in relation to the carjacking.