AN ARREST has been made after a woman was assaulted and her one-year-old baby was snatched in a violent incident.

The incident occurred in the play area of the Memorial Garden in Crawley between 5pm and 5.30pm on Monday, September 20.

Police said the one-year-old girl was in the play area with a man and a woman who are known to each other and the child when the man took hold of the child.

Refusing to return the child to the woman, the man walked towards a nearby car park while pushing the woman, according to police.

“He then drove off at speed allegedly without securing the child in the car properly,” a police spokesman said.

Police located and pursued the car to the nearby West Green area where it stopped.

The 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill, common assault, dangerous driving and possessing an offensive weapon.

The child and woman were unharmed and are receiving support from specially trained officers.

After being interviewed, the man was released on bail until October 19 while enquiries continue.

Police are seeking witnesses to the incident.

Detective Constable Penny Furtado, of the West Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit, said: "If you were in the Memorial Gardens area that afternoon and saw what happened, please contact us either online or by calling 101, quoting serial 1000 of 20/09."