Police hunt thieves who stole car with four-week-old baby inside and ran over mother

'This incident has shocked the whole of our force area and we will leave no stone unturned in our search for the offenders'

Clare O'Neill and her baby Eliza were reunited in hospital (West Midlands Police)

Police are hunting for two thieves who stole a car with a four-week-old girl inside before running over the baby’s mother and later dumping the infant.

Officers launched a manhunt after the car-jackers snatched the keys to Clare O’Neill’s Audi A3 moments after she parked it on her Birmingham drive.

She desperately tried to get her daughter Eliza out of a baby carrier on the back seat, but the men sped off in her car, driving over Ms O’Neill’s arm and dragging her along the road.

A huge search operation involving dozens of specialist officers and a helicopter swung into action following the theft in the city’s Acocks Green suburb at 4pm on Thursday.

Eliza was found about 45 minutes later by an ambulance crew at Small Heath health centre.

She was still in her car seat and was described by police as “blissfully unaware of the drama she had been involved in”.

She was reunited with her mother in hospital, where Ms O’Neill was continuing to recover from her injuries on Friday.

Detective Inspector Jim Munro, of West Midlands Police, said: “This incident has shocked the whole of our force area and we will leave no stone unturned in our search for the offenders.

“We have a team of officers trawling through CCTV and speaking to residents in Marie Drive, as well as fast-tracking forensic analysis of the baby seat.”

The force released a picture of the mother and her baby as it issued a public appeal for information about the thieves.

Ms O’Neill is seen in a hospital gown, smiling despite a head wound, as she cradles Eliza in her arms.

Her neighbour, Claudia Gardner, said: “I’ve been told she will probably not be home until tonight at the earliest because they drove over her arm and dragged her along the road.”

The teacher, 43, added: “When it’s so close to your house, it’s shocking. I’m just so glad they’re back together.”

Banners reading ”it’s a girl” were still up in the windows of Ms O’Neill’s the terraced home on Friday.

Police appealed for anyone who sees the grey Audi A3 S-line, registration number BJ66 YLV, to come forward.

Chief Constable David Thompson said: “Great we have reunited mum and baby. If you know the idiots who did it let us know.”