Police have launched a hunt for a woman who allegedly screamed abuse and threatened a mother and her one-year-old baby on a Central line train after the child accidentally kicked her.

The victim boarded the train at Bank station with her baby in a pram. As they got on, the child accidentally kicked another woman who was boarding.

This woman allegedly became abusive to the mother, demanding she apologise in an aggressive and threatening manner, British Transport Police said.

Other passengers intervened to calm the situation. The woman then intimated that she had a knife in her bag, police added.

At St Paul’s station, a member of staff witnessed the altercation and helped move the mother and child off the train and away from the woman.

The suspect stayed on the train, where she continued to verbally abuse other witnesses who had helped the mother.

British Transport Police released images of the suspect on Thursday and said it was “a frightening ordeal for the family, who were shaken by this woman’s aggressive language”.

The incident happened between 5.30pm and 6pm on July 18.

Anyone with information is asked to call 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 517 of July 18, 2018. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.