A mum had a gun held to her head before being beaten and tied up in front of her 16-month-old baby in the latest of a spate of gold jewellery robberies in Bradford.

The 36-year-old woman bravely tried to fight off her attackers, and could have left one with an injury to his face, after they tricked their way into her home in Lynfield Drive, Daisy Hill.

Detectives say the robbery happened at 9.30am on Thursday, when a man posed as an electricity meter reader.

Once inside, he was joined by a second man and the pair demanded to know where she kept her valuables.

They then attacked the woman, who was at home alone with her young child, before stealing a bracelet and searching the rest of the house and taking jewellery and mobile phones.

The pair tied her up before fleeing the property. A neighbour and family friend, who did not want to be named, said the woman, a mother-of-three, was found on a blood-soaked carpet.

He said: “She was in a real mess. There was blood on the floor and carpet. She had black eyes and had been tied up – I could see blood coming from her wrists because they had been tied so tight.

“Her one-year-old baby was screaming for food but she couldn’t get up or get to the phone. Her husband found her and he came straight round to us to get help. It is really shocking.”

The woman was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary, where she was treated for her injuries. Detective Chief Inspector Steve Thomas, senior investigating officer running Operation Scaldlock set up to focus on the theft of Asian jewellery across Bradford, last night urged people with jewellery and valuables to consider carefully who they share information with so it does not “fall into the wrong hands”.

Appealing for information, he said: “I am appealing directly to the local community and hope this may resonate with those who may hold a vital piece of information that we need to stop this type of crime.

“One of the people we want to speak to in connection with this incident might have a facial injury as a result of the victim trying to fight him off.”

The first man is described as Asian, aged 20 or 21, 5ft 7in tall, of slim build. His hair was shaved at the side but was longer on the top. He had a long face and was wearing black trousers, black boots and a black coat with a green fluorescent long jacket.

The second man is also thought to be Asian and is slightly shorter. He was 20 or 21 and wore a balaclava mask, black gloves, black clothing and black boots.

Witnesses should call Airedale and North Bradford CID on 101.