A MOTORIST has been left facing a bill for £1,000 worth of damage following a hit and run in Greenock.

Car owner Dawn Preston is fuming after her vehicle, which she only bought six months ago, was struck by a white van while parked at the top of Lynedoch Street close to where she works.

The incident took place last Tuesday at around 2pm while Dawn was on shift.

The 47-year-old, who lives in Greenock, now has to fork out £350 for her car insurance excess and has been told the total cost of repairs to the bumper, wheel arch and two panels could cost upwards of £1,000.

Dawn only found out about the incident thanks to an eyewitness who reported it to her after watching the white tipper truck strike her vehicle.

She said: "How can somebody do that to another person's property?

"What if it had happened to their car, how would they feel about it? "I've only had it six months, 'm raging."

It is not the first time Dawn has been left counting the cost of damage to her car through no fault of her own. Her previous vehicle was badly scratched while parked in the same area.

Lynedoch Street is currently being used as an alternative route for Baker's Brae, which remains closed because of an ongoing £3m road realignment and regeneration project.

But Dawn says there is no excuse for drivers not taking responsibility for damaging someone else's vehicle and has echoed a police appeal for witnesses to get in touch.

She said: "I've had to claim my insurance and now have £350 excess to pay.

"It's also the inconvenience it causes as I now have to put the car into the garage to get it fixed and I'll probably have to put in for a half-day holiday to go and get an estimate for the damage.

"With the amount of traffic going up and down this street just now it's pretty bad and it's worse when there's cars parked on the other side of the road as well.

"But it's not right that people are not taking responsibility for hitting another vehicle by stopping and giving their details. "They should own up."