‘All I could see was our 12-year-old … and behind her, I could see a hooded person in the driver’s seat trying to start the car.’

A Queensland family has revealed the terrifying moment they were allegedly assaulted by two teenage would-be car thieves on their way home from spreading their father’s ashes on the Gold Coast.

Jade McCoombes, 36, had gone to the beach in Surfers Paradise with her husband, mother and two young children to spread her late father’s ashes on Saturday.

As they got back to their car and were packing up to head home about 6pm, McCoombes went around to the boot to change her 19-month-old son’s nappy while her 60-year-old mother and 12-year-old daughter sat inside.

Everything seemed normal until she heard her daughter scream.

“Our daughter screamed out ‘Dad there’s a strange person in the car’,” McCoombes told 7NEWS.

“I just looked up and all I could see was our 12-year-old, the shock and (fear) in her face. And behind her, I could see a hooded person in the driver’s seat trying to start the car.”

Powell, 42, heard his daughters screams and ran to the car.

“I ran around and pulled the person out of the car … our children were in the car, there was danger to our children,” he said.

“I just felt they needed to go, we needed to get rid of them.”

Powell began a desperate struggle with the teenager he had pulled from the car, with the altercation soon turning violent, as the teen allegedly pulled out a broken bottle and a brick.

“He tried lunging at me with the glass bottle a couple of times, and he tried to punch me a few times, which I blocked,” Powell said.

Watching her partner struggle with the alleged offender, McCoombes said she jumped into action.

“Obviously I was fearing for Steve’s safety, this young person, he dropped the brick he had. When I saw him swinging at Steve with the broken bottle I felt like I needed to fight back and protect my family so I picked up the brick and did hit him back with it,” she said.

The incident continued to escalate when a second teen heard the fight and ran over.

Both teenagers allegedly began attacking Powell, with the fight moving from across the road to the back of their family car.

Police allege McCoombes was punched in the face a number of times in front of her young son.

“Unfortunately our 19-month-old was scared, he was crying, he could see everything happening to mum and dad at the same time. It breaks your heart,” she said.

Both of the young offenders eventually ran from the scene, taking off in a black Kia Rio.

The Kia and the alleged offenders were found a short time later on Riverview Parade and were taken into custody.

Two 17-year-old Grafton boys have since been charged with multiple offences, including attempted unlawful use of a motor vehicle and assault occasioning bodily harm.

Both boys are expected to appear in the Southport Children’s Court on Wednesday.

McCoombes said since the alleged assault their son has been “extra clingy” and has been more restless while sleeping than normal.

“He’s been in our bed every night,” she said.

“It’s something you don’t ever want your children to have to see, or to go through, and they should never have to.”

Powell said he worries the same thing could happen to another family.

“Something needs to change,” he said

“I feel like the government isn’t keeping us safe and is letting these offenders off, basically giving them a free ticket.

“A lesson needs to be taught, even with first offenders.”

McCoombes also wants the government takes more action to crack down on teen offenders.

“I believe they see it as ‘this is our first attempt, we’re gonna get a slap on the wrist and we’ll get away with it’ but they’re just going to keep doing it – something definitely needs to change,” she said.

“There were so many young families around even after the incident that we needed to warn to keep an eye out, because we don’t want anyone else to get hurt like that.”

SOURCE: https://7news.com.au/news/family-attacked-by-two-teenagers-after-spreading-fathers-ashes-on-gold-coast-beach-c-22439072