UK 'You've Lost Mate': Driver Tackles Carjacker at 80mph After Clinging Onto Speeding Vehicle

HORNCHURCH, England -- A 60-year-old British carjacking victim clung onto the trunk of his vehicle while it was being driven away at 80mph (129kph) before climbing inside to tackle the thief.

Grandfather Barry Monaghan was loading bouquets of flowers into his car in Hornchurch, about 20 miles (32 km) east of London, when a thief grabbed his keys out of his hands and jumped into the driver's seat.

Unwilling to give up his purple Ford Mondeo, the former firefighter clung on to the open trunk of his car as the thief dragged him around country lanes at speeds of up to 80mph (129kph), the East London Advertiser reported.

The thief even clipped an oncoming bus in his bid to shake off Monaghan -- but his unwanted passenger would not give up.

Monaghan managed to haul himself inside the trunk of the car and push through the back seats before putting the persistent thief in a chokehold.

"I had my hands round the guy's neck, and I told him, 'I'm not letting go,'" Monaghan said. "I kept saying to him, 'You've lost, mate. Give up,' but he kept swerving into the other side of the road trying to loosen my grip. I was being knocked about all over the place and watching the speedometer hit 80mph."

The pair grappled for miles before the carjacker gave up at Ockendon train station in Thurrock, where he ran off.

Monaghan, who suffered whiplash and cuts and bruises, added, "I was frightened out of my life, but there was no way I was giving up. The guy kept threatening to smash the car, but in the end, he realized he was beaten."

Local police were investigating the incident.