A terrified nanny with a young child was threatened with a crowbar and robbed outside the family’s Hampstead home by a mugger wearing a motorcycle helmet.

The incident happened in broad daylight as the nanny returned with the youngster to a house in the Frognal area of Hampstead at 11:30am on July 21.

The child’s mother, who has not been named, sent out an email to neighbours describing the ordeal.

She wrote: “My nanny was mugged outside my home in broad daylight, in my front garden when my child was under her care.

“He came up behind her, had a crowbar and demanded her watch. He was wearing a black motorcycle helmet with white detail, black/Asian, chubby and about 1.6m in height.

“He took the watch and thankfully no one was hurt. Obviously, she was shaken up and we’re very concerned that this has happened when our child was in someone else’s care and on our doorstep.”

Jessica Learmond-Criqui, chairman of the Frognal and Fitzjohns safer neighbourhood panel, urged residents to be vigilant and to report anything suspicious to police. She said: “We do not feel safe around our own homes.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or anonymously to crimestoppers on 0800 555111