A baby boy is recovering in hospital after being delivered by medics shortly after his pregnant mother was killed in a crossbow attack in her kitchen.

Sana Muhammad, 35, was eight months pregnant when she was allegedly attacked by her ex-husband in front of her children at her home in east London.

The incident occurred at breakfast time on Monday morning at her home in Newbury Park, Ilford, when her attacker who had been hiding in her garden shed burst into her kitchen and opened fire with the deadly weapon.

Her husband, Imtiaz Muhammad, described how he came across the suspected killer when he went to shed at around 7.30am on Monday to store a cardboard box.

Seeing the weapon he fled into the house shouting "run, run, run", before the alleged attacker fired the crossbow bolt which hit Mrs Muhammad in the stomach.

The heavily pregnant mother of five was rushed to hospital in east London, where she was later pronounced dead but medics managed to perform an emergency cesarean section and deliver the baby boy safely.