DETECTIVES are appealing for information after an Iceland Foods van driver smashed into a family car before fleeing.

The family, including 12-week-old and two-year-old boys, were lucky not to be more seriously injured after the children were covered with glass.

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Family photo - Phoebe and her partner and her children

Phoebe Ross, 23, from Southend, was about to get into her sister-in-law’s Nissan Qashqai, which was parked on Trinity Road, Southend, when the driver allegedly ploughed into the open car door, squashing Phoebe, who was behind it trying to secure her child into the car.

The impact to the car caused its door to dent so badly that the window on the tot’s side shattered, leaving him covered in glass with cuts to his his hands and fingers.

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Damaged - the impact of the hit to the family car

The distressed mother said: “The van came out of nowhere and just went straight into the side of me, he came at such speed, the car even moved as the van came through.

“I was in total shock and my toddler who I was trying to put in the car was crying his eyes out.

“It made such a loud noise and the window on my son’s side just smashed all over him.

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Cuts - the two-year-old was cut from the glass

“Luckily my partner was putting our newborn into the car on the other side.

“I didn’t feel any pain at first because I was in so much shock.

“Once we had got the children back inside the house and I sat down, the pain suddenly came. I was in agony.

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Bruising - Phoebe's leg 

“We called the ambulance who came to take me to hospital as we no longer had the use of the car.

“My sister-in-law called the police and was told it wasn’t an emergency and to call 101.

“If a hit and run isn’t an emergency then I don’t know what is.

“I am so angry this man didn’t stop, it’s absolutely awful.”

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FREE Delivery - A neighbour's CCTV revealed the speeding van moments after it hit Phoebe

She contacted Iceland and claims she was simply told to go to her insurers and said police haven’t been much more helpful either.

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Iceland's advice - Phoebe was told to contact the car insurance company

She said: “It has really badly affected me.

“I already suffer with anxiety, so this has put me off from leaving the house even more.”

The incident took place on Monday, November 26.

Iceland declined to comment while police are investigating.

A spokesman for Essex Police confirmed the incident is being looked into and urged anyone with information is asked to call the Southend team quoting incident 996 of 26/11.