A terrified mother told how she was strangled until she lost consciousness and robbed in front of her two-year-old daughter.

The woman, who was too scared to be named, was getting her toddler’s bag out of the car when she was viciously attacked by two men, one with his face masked by a bandana at around 8pm in Belsize Park.

She told the Ham&High: “My child was still in the carseat when a man with his face covered came at me from behind. I thought he was after my child and I started hitting him away.

“He strangled me. I fell onto the floor unconscious. When I came round I realised I was being robbed. They took my jewellery and my wedding ring.

“There was a footprint on my jeans and marks around my neck. I could hear two voices and realised that there was more than one attacker.

“My daughter had been asleep when the attack started but when I came round she was awake. I am terrified. They could have taken her.”

She contacted the Ham&High to warn other women in the area to beware. “People need to watch out when they are getting out of their car with young children.”

Detectives have appealed for witnesses to the attack in Belsize Park Gardens on January 26 at 7.50pm.

He said: “A female was attacked by two men as she got out of her car. They grabbed the woman around the throat until she lost consciousness. On regaining consciousness the victim discovered that her wedding ring and engagement ring had been taken from her finger.”

“There are no descriptions of the suspects as the woman was attacked from behind.”

Police have been carrying out extensive enquiries in the area and officers have stepped up patrols in the area.

Anyone with information is asked to call Camden police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, call 999.

The robbery is the latest in a string of attacks on lone mothers with children in the Fitzjohns and Frognal area.

A local publican who asked not to be named said: “These criminals are pathetic and cowardly. There is a pattern of them picking on lone mothers who are vulnerable and easy targets when they are distracted and getting out of their cars.”