A mum had her car stolen at knifepoint in broad daylight while she was holding her newborn baby, she claims.
Lauren Mercer said she was in the car park of her local GP surgery when she was forced to hand over her keys to a hooded man carrying a machete-like blade.
She was holding 10-week-old son Leo during the alleged incident on Tuesday afternoon (November 1).
The 24-year-old said she desperately dug her keys out of her pocket after the unknown thug said: "Give me your f****** keys!", reports the Manchester Evening News.
Lauren had been for a postnatal checkup at the doctors in Little Lever, near Bolton, Greater Manchester, when the ordeal took place at about 4.45pm.
As she was taking her baby up out of his pram to place him in his car seat, she claimed a man wearing all-black approached her Seat.
Speaking just hours after the ordeal, Lauren said: "At around quarter to five I was coming out of the doctors. I had been for a postnatal check-up because my baby is only 10 weeks old.
"I had walked over to my car and opened up the back door where his car seat is, and had picked him up out of the pram to put him in.
"As I looked to my right, there was this man stood there dressed in all black who said 'give me your f***ing keys'.
"I didn't think it was real at first. I was just in shock so walked back and said 'you what?'. He then shouted at me again asking me to give over my keys.
"I just started trying to find the keys in my pocket, all whilst holding my baby. He was telling me to hurry up so I just threw them at him. I didn't even have time to process what was happening."
Desperate to keep her little boy safe, Lauren says she handed over the keys and claimed the man got in the driver's seat and sped away.
She immediately called her boyfriend and the police about the incident.
"He was in all black, I couldn't see his face or anything it was all covered up. I could only see his eyes," she added.
"He was holding what looked like a machete. I had only been to the doctors, you wouldn't ever expect to be held up at knife point. I just didn't want to argue with him.
"I wouldn't even be bothered about getting my car back. I don't feel like it has fully sunk in yet."
The mum-of-one said she had a call from the police and was awaiting a crime reference number in relation to the incident.
Little Lever ward councillor Sean Hornby, from Bolton Council, said he has been made aware of the reported incident and demanded action from the police.
He said: "I have emailed Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Stephen Watson and the Chief Superintendent for Bolton Stephanie Parker about this incident.
"People want to feel safe where they live and want to feel confident that action is being taken to make sure that happens.
"This is the second violent car crime incident in a couple of days. This must have been horrific, she was just putting her child in the car and then this happens. How traumatised must her and her baby be?"
The Mirror has contacted Greater Manchester Police for comment on the incident.
