Police are searching for a mugger who held a knife to a toddler's throat while robbing the child's grandmother in Middlesbrough.

The incident happened between 5pm and 6pm on Friday when a woman in her 40s was taking her 19-month-old grandson for a walk.

As the pair went down a footpath in a wooded area near Ormesby Road, Normanby, a man emerged from the bushes and demanded her purse.

When the woman refused to hand it over the man placed a knife against her grandson's throat.

After she handed the man her purse he ran off towards Normanby High Street.


According to Cleveland Police, the child was not injured in the attack.

The victim described the robber to the police as an "Asian male" with "very bad teeth" and a "foreign accent".

He is believed to be aged between 20 and 25, and was roughly six feet tall with short black hair.

Detective say he was wearing a black tracksuit which had a single red stripe down the side, with a black leather belt and a pouch around his waist, as well as black and gold Nike trainers.

DC Lewis Mackfall said: "This was clearly a terrifying incident for the victim and very distressing as it involved a threat of violence against her grandchild.

"We're appealing for anyone who might have seen a man matching this description to speak to us urgently by calling 101 with reference number 086712."