Police are appealing for witnesses following a kidnapping in Helston yesterday.

The incident took place at 4.25pm, when a 45-year-old woman from Porthleven was sat in her silver Peugeot 307 car in parking spaces to the side of the Spar shop at the junction of Meneage Road and Furry Way.

As she waited, a man got into the vehicle and threatened her, forcing her to drive away.

The woman drove around half a mile to the Sainsbury’s car park on Clodgey Lane where she managed to stop the car, open her door and shout for the man to get out.

He got out of the vehicle and left the car park on foot towards the Sainsbury’s roundabout.

The suspect was described as being in his mid-late 30’s and of chubby build. He was wearing a dark beanie-style woolly hat and a top with a pattern on the front.

At around 4.40pm hours, the occupants of a nearby property in Esmonde Road, Helston discovered a man inside their property.

The man ran from the property but was detained by one of the householders a short distance away. He stayed with the suspect until the police arrived at the scene.

A 33-year-old man from Mevagissey has been arrested in connection with both incidents and is currently being questioned at Camborne Police Station.

He has been arrested on suspicion of kidnap and burglary.

Sgt. Phil Rowland of Helston police said: “This woman showed great fortitude in what must have been an extremely traumatic experience.

“Thankfully, incidents such as this are very rare in our area and we would like to appeal to members of the public to come forward if they have any information.

“We would particularly appeal to any witnesses of the incident in Sainsbury’s car park to come forward as we believe that there were people in the area at the time.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Police on 101 or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111, quoting reference AH/12/1387.