A pregnant woman who was in labour had her phone snatched while she was trying to call her husband to take her to hospital.

The victim had been walking in Leadale Road, Stoke Newington, just after 10am on Sunday morning when the thief - who was riding a bike - pounced.

Volunteers from the Jewish community safety group Shomrim were first on the scene and helped her until medics arrived.

The woman, who was not injured, was taken as a precaution to hospital by the Hatzola Jewish voluntary ambulance service.

Shomrim volunteer Pinchas Paksher, said: “I arrived on scene moments after the phone snatch, I asked one of the neighbours to bring out a chair and a cup of water as the victim appeared to be trembling from shock.

“The thief was heartless, targeting the most vulnerable in society.”

Anyone with information should call Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously.