A mother rushed into action when a woman tried to snatch her baby at a boot fair.

The 15-month-old girl was sitting in her pushchair when a woman in her late 30s or early 40s caused a distraction by pushing over a nearby clothes rail.

She wheeled the toddler's pushchair for ten metres before the girl's mother stopped her at the sale in Tesco's car park, Broad Piece, Littlehampton on Easter Sunday.

The attempted abduction happened at about 11.20am. The offender walked off towards Tesco petrol station after the mother recovered her child.

She was described as white, about 5ft 7in, of stocky build with short brown, slightly permed hair that had been dyed burgundy round the face.

She had no eyebrows, dark brown eyes and was wearing a black T-shirt under a grey fleece, black trousers and black flat-loafer shoes with gold buckles.

She was wearing a pair of large, gold-hoop earrings and a gold necklace.

Police are appealing for witnesses.