The hunt is underway for two laughing yobs who set a young mum's hair on fire because she couldn't give them a cigarette.
In the assault which has shocked Swindon, Wilts, a huge police manhunt was sparked after the thugs punched Siobhan Regan, 24, in the face and between the legs while she clung to her baby's buggy.
Then as she screamed for mercy, they set light to her hair and ran off clutching her mobile phone.
The louts approached her between 10am and 10.30am on Tuesday while she walked her dog and took her six-month-old son for a stroll.
As she recovered from her terrifying ordeal, her father John Regan said: "She's traumatised, it's awful. She was in fear for her life.
Grace Millane suppression order: Why we can't name her sick killer for two years
"They asked her for a cigarette and when she said she didn't smoke, they set her hair on fire and hit her.
"The dog then started barking at them so they ran off with her phone. I was so livid at her attackers and worried about her after her mum phoned and told me what happened.
"I could not believe it, I was shocked. Being mugged is bad enough but why would you set fire to someone? It's just wrong.
"The one thing you want to do as a parent is to protect your child. She's a devoted mum who wouldn't hurt a fly.
"I'm worried about this happening to other people and I hope they catch whoever did this."
Badly-shocked Siobhan suffered bruising to her face and her long hair is singed and burnt at the ends.
Helen McCourt's mum says justice system is treating her killer 'like the victim'
The appalling attack has shocked Swindon.
A Facebook post by John about her awful experience has been shared more than 1,300 times and received hundreds of comments expressing shock and sympathy.
He wrote "My daughter has been attacked and mugged whilst out with my granddaughter by two scruffy looking males in Shaftesbury Avenue, Walcot.
"They have set fire to her hair, punched her in the face and kicked her between the legs whilst she is holding a buggy with her baby daughter in it."
Friends and well-wishers described what happened as 'terrifying, evil, scary, awful, shocking and disgusting'.
Inmates bag record £20million compo from taxpayer after prison system 'failings'
Wiltshire Police appealed for information and witnesses to the incident, which may not have been a one-off attack.
Detectives described one man as white, slim, with scars on his face and wearing a dark coloured hoody, jeans and a beanie hat.
The second man was white, slim and wearing a dark-coloured tracksuit.
PC Kayne Borresen said: "This incident is obviously very concerning and would have been frightening for the woman involved.
"We are very keen to hear from anyone who was in the area and may have seen these two men and could help with our enquiries.
"We have received a report of an incident in the same location yesterday where a woman was approached by a man in similar circumstances but he appeared to be spooked by a member of the public and he made off.
"We will be increasing patrols in the area following this incident and would ask anyone with information to call us on 101."
Source: Read Full Article