'Find these scumbags!' Amanda Holden tweets extraordinary footage of moped gang trying to rob a mother and daughter, three, in broad daylight in London - as she praises mystery hero scaffolders who chased them off

Actress, who lives in Richmond, tweeted footage of moped attack in her area
Muggers were dropped off by bike riders before demanding woman's jewellery
She ran into the road, prompting a lorry to stop and workmen to intervene
Police are hunting four men involved, who made off on a moped and motorbike
Comes amid wave of moped attacks, which claimed Michael McIntyre as a victim
Do YOU know the heroes or the victims? Email richard.spillett@mailonline.co.uk

By Richard Spillett, Crime Correspondent For Mailonline

Published: 11:00 BST, 26 June 2018 | Updated: 15:02 BST, 26 June 2018

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Chilling footage shows two moped muggers demanding jewellery from a terrified mother and her three-year-old daughter in a daylight attack in south-west London.

The clip was shared by actress Amanda Holden this morning as she appealed for information about the incident, which unfolded not far from her home in Richmond.

The footage shows four men arriving on the wealthy street, where homes sell for more than £3million, on a moped and a motorbike.

All dressed in black, two of the men then jump off the back of bikes and wait in a side street for someone to mug.

Chilling footage shows two moped muggers confronting a mother and child in Richmond

The terrified woman lifts up the child and runs from the men, who disappear down a side street

A group of scaffolders ran from their van and picked up poles in a bid to tackle the muggers

When the unsuspecting woman and child walk past, the two men run up and confront her, appearing to reach for the child as they demand valuables.

Police said the muggers intimated they were armed, although no weapon was produced.

The visibly petrified mother picks up the small child and runs into the road, prompting a lorry to stop and three scaffolders to run out and challenge the men, who run off.

Ms Holden tweeted: 'So this I know is happening everywhere but this was Sandpits Road Tw10 -21st June 12;35 broad daylight. Mother and child attached [attacked].

'And some heroes in a lorry chased them off. Call 101 or 999 if u know these scumbags.'

Police would discourage anyone from ringing 999 with information about a crime which has finished, as the line is used only in emergencies

Ms Holden's appeal was also taken up by Piers Morgan, who retweeted her message.

The Good Morning Britain presenter wrote: 'DISGUSTING. Let's catch these snivelling cowards now - call the police if you know who they are.'

The CCTV footage, filmed last Thursday, shows the men getting of bikes before the attack

The woman ran out into the road to get away from them, prompting cars and lorries to stop

The woman ran to the other side of the road and the two muggers rejoined their accomplices

She was helped the members of the public as a group of scaffolders chased after the men

Residents of the street suggested the muggers would have had local knowledge to know the alleyway led to a bollarded path which would have made pursuit difficult.

A local man, who asked not to be named claimed the road was chosen by the suspects as it becomes too narrow for a car to pass through - making it 'perfect for a motorbike escape'.

Police are hunting the muggers but no arrests have yet been made.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'Police were called at 12:35hrs on Thursday, 21 June to Sandpits Road in Petersham after a woman was approached by four men on a black moped and motorbike who demanded her jewellery.

'They threatened her and a young child who was with her. No injuries were reported No weapon was seen, although it was intimated.

'Members of the public went to the woman's assistance and the suspects fled empty-handed. The suspects were all wearing black clothing.'

Amanda Holden tweeted the footage today. The mugging happened not far from her home

Her appeal was backed by Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan, who branded the attack 'disgusting' and called the muggers 'snivelling cowards'

Amanda Holden tweeted the footage. The actress lives not far from the where the attack unfolded and often posts pictures of herself at home online

The incident unfolded on Petersham Road, where an alleyway leads down to a set of bollards, making it difficult for cars to chase the two bikes

Locals say the men ran off down this alleyway where, once they were back on their bikes, they would not have been able to have been followed by a police car

The police asked witnesses or anyone with any information to call police on 101 or contact via Twitter @MetCC quoting reference 3542/21Jun.

Met Police figures show crimes committed using mopeds, scooters and motorcycles soared by 50 per cent in the year to May, to 22,025, or 430 a week. Some thieves claim to be earning £2,000 a day.

Moped gangs are targeting wealthy parts of the city, with residents in some areas giving up wearing their jewellery and watches due to fear of crime.

Figures show that one street in North London alone has seen 111 moped-enabled crimes.

A recent high-profile victim was comedian Michael McIntyre, who had his £15,000 Rolex watch torn from his wrist in north London when a gang of masked moped riders smashed the driver's window of his Range Rover.

It comes after comedian Michael McIntyre had his watch stolen as he picked up his son from school in the north of the capital

Mr McIntyre is one of the most high-profile victims. Former Chancellor George Osborne was also targeted last year

Elsewhere in London, armed moped muggers pulled a gun on a teenage victim as they struck twice within 45 minutes on Sunday.

In the first incident happened in Albion Way, Lewisham at around 1.30pm.

Two men, aged 26 and 32, were walking through a car park when they were confronted by two other men on mopeds.

Fearing the moped thugs had a knife or gun, the 26-year-old victim handed over his watch and a ring and the suspects sped off.

The second incident happened around 45 minutes later just over five miles away in Hayes Lane, Beckenham.

High-profile moped thefts and attacks have taken place around the capital this year. The latest incident was to the very south-west of London, near Richmond Park

Police say the victims of the second incident on Sunday, a 17-year-old lad and a 58-year-old man, were walking along Romanhurst Gardens in the direction of Kingwood Avenue when two men approached them on a moped.

Both suspects dismounted and dragged the 58-year-old victim into the road before snatching a necklace he was wearing.