A DRIVER has relived the night his car was hijacked by three men who forced him take them on a terrifying 20-minute drive.

Adam Close told a jury that he feared for his safety after the revellers ordered him to drive them from a North-East night spot as he waited to pick up his girlfriend.

Mr Close was giving evidence on the first day of the trial of Darren Smith, who denies false imprisonment and robbery.

Mr Smith, 34, of Belle Vue Grove, Middlesbrough, denies holding Mr Close against his will and robbing him of his Y-reg Seat Ibiza on March 20 last year.

Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday that Mr Close had travelled from his home in Coxhoe, County Durham, to Tall Trees in Yarm, near Stockton, to pick up his girlfriend and two of her friends.

He said as he waited for them to come from the nightclub, three men got into his car and ordered him to drive them to Middlesbrough.

Mr Close, 23, was shaking and emotional when he started to recall the incident, and told the jury: "I felt intimidated - scared."

The court heard two rear seat passengers had talked of beating him up, and that a man in the front seat headbutted him after he refused to drive down a dark farm track.

His ordeal came to an end after he stopped in nearby Maltby and ran away.

Christine Egerton, prosecuting, said Mr Smith was picked out in an identification procedure some months later as the front seat passenger.

Mr Close denied defence suggestions he had picked the wrong man. The description he gave to police - that the man who headbutted him had scars on his face - did not fit Mr Smith. The case continues.