A mum has told of her horror after two teenage thugs threatened to drop her 19-week-old baby girl on her face unless she handed over her purse.

Lisa Georghoudis, 38, of Byrd Court, Laindon, was first confronted by the yobs at Broadmayne underpass, by Basildon Crown court, and asked for cash and cigarettes at around 11.30am yesterday.

Refusing, she continued into the dimly-lit underpass, but was soon struck from behind and her handbag was yanked off her shoulder.

As she attempted to pull the bag back, her daughter, Lily, screamed as the second mugger, who wore an earring with "Dad" in white stones, pulled Lily from her pram and was holding her by her armpits.

She pleaded frantically with him to return her baby and began to throw her jewellery to the ground, along with her handbag.

The mugger then let go of Lily, quickly grabbing her by the wrists before she fell.

Leaving her dangling in pain, he sneered: "How would you like me to drop her on her face on the concrete?" as he pretended he was going to drop her.

A passerby shouted at the youths who slammed the baby back into the pram and ran off, laughing, but empty-handed.