A man is due in court in Derry charged with attempting to hijack a car carrying a woman and two children.

Police in the North said the charges relate to an incident in the Ballymagroarty area of the city in the early hours of this morning.

A man allegedly entered the driver’s seat of a car and tried to drive away with the woman and children inside.

Police said he tried to drive away but “was unable to do so.”

The suspect then attempted to take the woman’s handbag, however he then fled the scene empty handed.

The woman and children were left unharmed.

This evening PSNI detective charged a 49-year-old man with attempted hi-jacking and attempted robbery.

He was also charged with “failing to provide a specimen when in charge unfit, in charge when unfit through drink or drugs and possession of a class B controlled drug.”

He is expected to appear in court tomorrow morning.