A family of four have been left shaken after the vehicle they were travelling in was involved in a hit and run incident on Saturday November 10.

Laura Johnston was travelling with her fiancée Gary Wylie and their two little girls Isla (3) and Evvi (2) from Tempo to Maguiresbridge on the Gardiners Cross Road when a large vehicle collided with their Seat Leon car. Laura explained: “It was about 7.15pm and we were just driving along and this other car came driving towards us and it was quite big. It was like a van or a jeep-type car, but we couldn’t really see because they had their full beams on.”

She continued: “They came towards us on our side of the road. Gary was driving and he swerved left to get away from it but it came down the drivers side of the car. We had the two kids in the back. My three-year-old, her door was just a mess, it was just hanging on. It was quite scary.”

Following the collision, it was reported that the other vehicle didn’t stop.

“They slowed down really briefly but then just sped on,” said a shocked Laura. “You don’t expect someone to just drive off. They headed on out the Tempo direction and we haven’t heard anything since.”

The family’s Seat Leon sustained significant damage but fortunately nobody was injured during the incident.

Commenting on the wellbeing of her children, Laura said: “They’re fine, thankfully. I think with them being a wee bit younger it’s probably better that they didn’t have a full understanding of it.”

On learning of the incident, Trish Wylie, an aunt of Gary, posted a status on Facebook featuring a photograph of Isla and Evvi, appealing to the driver of the other vehicle to come forward. The post has been shared over 900 times and has had numerous comments. Laura said: “My phone has not stopped. It’s a wee bit overwhelming but it’s good, hopefully some information comes from it.”

However, Laura is doubtful that anyone will come forward. “To be honest I just don’t think that they will come forward," she said. "I think that it was somebody that was either drunk or had no insurance, or maybe no license at all and I think that’s the reason that they drove on.”

She added: “I would hope that maybe it’s given them a bit of a scare to think what they maybe could have done and it might make them think twice next time before getting behind the wheel of a car, but I can’t see them being someone that will come forward.”

On behalf of the PSNI, Constable Jason Stewart said: “I want to appeal to the driver of the second vehicle, which would have sustained some front end damage, to come forward.

“I also want to appeal to anyone who was in the area last night around 7.20pm and saw what happened or has dash-cam footage which may have captured the collision t contact us on the non emergency number 101, quoting reference 1198 of 10/11/18.”

Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100 per cent anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.