TROIS-RIVIERES, Que. -- A woman is recovering following a bizarre accident in which she was run over three times by her own car.

Trois-Rivieres, Que., police say the newspaper delivery woman was making her rounds this week and jumping in and out of her car frequently to drop copies of Le Nouvelliste on subscribers' doorsteps.

But things went awry during one parking attempt.

Her transmission wound up in "reverse" instead of "park" as she got out. The woman got smacked by the car's open door as it backed up and ran over one of her legs as she was knocked to the ground.

She attempted to pull herself up and reached into the car to shift the gears. But she fumbled and was struck a second time, resulting in her being run over again. A third attempt produced the same results.

Residents of the area awakened by the woman's distress cries at 4 a.m. rushed to give her aid when she limped to a home.

The car, which continued to move at increasing speed in a widening circle, was finally stopped by Trois-Rivieres police.

The woman is being treated for serious injuries to her leg.

The incident yesterday was reported in the newspaper where she works, Trois-Rivieres' Le Nouvelliste.