POLICE are hunting three youths after a pregnant woman was mugged in Andover.

The woman, who is in her 20s and six months pregnant, was robbed in Roman Way at about 4.15pm on Thursday, January 22.

She was approached by three youths as she came out of a footpath, between Turin Court and Florence Court, near the play park.

They demanded her handbag but when she refused she was hit around the face. The youths ran away with the bag, back down a footpath towards Turin Court.

The woman sustained minor facial injuries as a result of the incident, which did not require hospital treatment.

The stolen bag is black and contained a leopard print purse with bank cards and a passport.

One youth is described as white, aged 16-17 years, about 5ft 8ins tall, athletic build, with a square chin.

He was wearing a light grey hooded jacket with the hood up and matching bottoms tucked into black socks, white t-shirt and large black trainers.

A second youth is white, also aged 16-17 years with the same height and build. He has short, mousy blond hair.

He was wearing a dark blue baseball cap with a semi-circle orange logo, dark blue tracksuit bottoms and white trainers.

The third youth is white, aged 16-17 years, but he had a stocky build with a round face.

He was wearing a black/blue baseball cap, dark blue hooded jumper and tracksuit bottoms with white stripes down the side and white trainers.

PC John Smith said: “This is a particularly distressing incident as the woman is six months pregnant. It occurred soon after schools finished in a busy area, I would appeal to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact us.”

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident should contact Andover police station on 0845 045 45 45, or call Crimestoppers, the charity, anonymously on 0800 555 111.