A terrified mother watched in horror as her car was stolen and driven off at speed with her young son in the back.

Incredibly the one-year-old boy was found safe and well after the mother flagged down a passing motorist and pursued the car thief.

During the nightmare journey the young teenage car thief careered the wrong way down a dual carriageway and drove straight across a central reservation.

The pint-sized thief, who is thought to be in his early teens or even as young as ten or 11, struck when the car was left with the keys in the ignition and the engine running, as a courier delivered a parcel.

The courier, who has not been named, had left her one-year-old in the back of her Vauxhall Astra, while she delivered a parcel on Town Street, Rawdon.

In a matter of seconds the thief, who is thought to be less than 5ft tall, had jumped into the front seat of the blue-green car and driven off towards Horsforth.

The horrified mother flagged down a passing car to chase the thief but lost him as he sped towards Pudsey and then on to Bradford.

As the nightmare journey continued the W-registered car was spotted by police going the wrong way

down two dual carriageways and crossing the central reservation at Thornbury.

The car was finally found abandoned in Undercliffe with the baby safe inside, about 15 minutes after the drama began.

Neighbourhood Watch Liaison office for Weetwood and Pudsey, Peter Krushniak, said the baby was unharmed after the incident which began at 11.45am on Wednesday, April 6. But he said the snatch could easily have proved fatal.

He said: "There is a massive lesson to be learned from this. If the key is left in the ignition with the engine running it is an incentive to the opportunist, which is clearly what this was.

"It could have had fatal consequences. It doesn't bear thinking about what could have happened."

He added: "The police are eager to hear from anyone who may have witnessed this incident or who may have any information."

The suspect, who is thought to be a very young teenager, or possibly aged only ten or 11, is described as white and less than 5ft tall.

Anyone with information should contact Weetwood police helpdesk on 0113 241 3459.