POLICE are today hunting two men after a teenage driver was assaulted and his car set on fire in a road rage style attack on the edge of Ipswich.The 19-year-old victim was grabbed round the throat during the vicious assault and had to be rescued by another motorist who was passing by at the time.

POLICE are today hunting two men after a teenage driver was assaulted and his car set on fire in a road rage style attack on the edge of Ipswich.

The 19-year-old victim was grabbed round the throat during the vicious assault and had to be rescued by another motorist who was passing by at the time.

The attack came two hours after a 26-year-old man had a knife held to his face in an alleyway during a robbery on the outskirts of the town centre.

To compound the road rage terror the teenage victim returned to his car minutes later, he found it ablaze – and the man who had assaulted him driving off in the other direction.

The incident happened at Warren Heath in the early hours after a collision between two cars virtually outside the Sainsbury superstore.

The victim was driving a blue Citroen along Felixstowe Road, through Nacton, just after midnight accompanied by a 21-year-old man passenger when they came up behind a white F-reg Nissan Micra.

The Nissan suddenly pulled hard right attempting a U-turn, which resulted in a collision with the Citroen.

Both vehicles stopped and the victim got out to speak with the driver of the Nissan to swap details.

The passenger in the Nissan then got out and started threatening the victim. He forced the teenager onto the grass verge and put his hands around his neck.

At this point, a passer-by stopped to help and the teenager and his passenger managed to escape unhurt and call the police.

They then saw the Nissan leaving the scene and the victim returned to his car and found it ablaze.

The fire service were called immediately and a crew from Colchester Road station arrived at 12.23am to find the car "well alight".

Police are appealing for anyone with information about the incident to contact them.

They have described the attacker as white, in his mid 30s, 5ft 11ins tall and of medium build, with blond short spiky hair, unshaven beard growth and a local accent. He was referred to as Gary and was wearing a West Ham T-shirt.

The driver of the Nissan is described as younger, with dark, centre-parted hair, about 5ft 11ins tall and of skinny build.

Two hours earlier a 26-year-old was attacked at 10.20pm as he was walking along a narrow alley way in Gibbons Street.

Two men approached him from behind, pushed him up against a wall and demanded money from him whilst holding a knife against his face. He handed over a quantity of cash.

The victim was uninjured and the offenders ran off into Gibbons Street towards Hadleigh Road.

The first man is described as a white male, 5ft 8ins with slim build and dark greasy short hair and was wearing a light coloured bomber jacket.

The second man was also white with a tanned complexion. He was shorter in height and was wearing a black hooded top.

Police are appealing for anyone to come forward who may have been in the area at the time and may have seen or heard suspicious activity.

Anyone with information on either incident should call Ipswich Police on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.