Her Ford Sierra left the road and crashed into a field.

I just want this idiot to come forward or for someone to report him. He could have caused the deaths of me and three innocent kids

Denise Craig

Ms Craig and her children Wayne, 10, eight-year-old Kimberley and four-year-old Andrew, managed to free themselves from the vehicle with minor injuries.

Two of the car's tyres were punctured and the front bumper was severely damaged.

'Danger to children'

She had been driving home from Stow in the Borders on the A7 near Newtongrange in Midlothian, when she noticed the other driver.

The red Fiesta repeatedly drove close to her rear bumper for the next few miles before pulling back.

Ms Craig said this continued until the Sheriffhall roundabout at the Edinburgh city bypass but she was too afraid to stop in case she put her children in danger.

The ordeal began as the family drove home

As she turned on to The Wisp, a country road between Danderhall and Craigmillar, the Fiesta driver followed and after about half a mile suddenly pulled out in front of her, forcing her into the field.

She said: "How can someone do this when there are kids in the car?

"At first he wasn't hassling me but then he started acting like a total nutter. He must have either been drunk or on drugs.

"I thought I would flag down a police car at the Sheriffhall roundabout because there is usually one sitting there but unfortunately there was none about.

'I remember seeing smoke'

"I was panicking at that stage and thought of pulling over but with three kids in the car I didn't want to take a chance."

Ms Craig said she had little time to react after the car crash.

She said: "My first reaction was to get the kids out of the car.

"I remember seeing smoke and you hear of cars exploding but the police said it was probably caused by my exhaust running along the grass."

The Fiesta pulled out on a country road

Ms Craig said she feared the incident would bring on an attack of asthma.

She said: "I was shaking like a leaf and trying to calm myself down because I did not have my inhaler with me. My biggest concern was the kids and you don't think about anything else."

She added: "He could have killed the four of us. I just want this idiot to come forward or for someone to report him. He could have caused the deaths of me and three innocent kids."

Ms Craig suffered slight bruising to her face and an injury to her back.

Lothian and Borders Police have appealed for witnesses to the incident which happened at about 2020BST on Sunday.

The Fiesta was believed to have a black and white sticker running along the top of its windscreen and the driver was described as being aged 18-22 years old and wearing a black baseball cap with a red peak.