A four-week-old baby girl who was inside an Audi when it was stolen in a carjacking has been reunited with her mother in hospital.

Mum Clare O’Neill was injured as she frantically tried to get baby Eliza out of the vehicle as it was taken from her on Thursday afternoon. 

She arrived home at around 4pm in Ackocks Green, Birmingham, where two men demanded her car keys. As she tried to get her four-week-old out of the car, the men drove off leaving her injured, West Midlands Police said.

Dozens of officers were deployed on Thursday afternoon to search for a grey Audi A3 S-line in connection with the incident, with social media flooded with a police public appeal for help.

Eliza was found safe and well at a health centre 45 minutes later.

The car was targeted in Marie Drive. The carjacking left the baby’s mother needing hospital treatment.

Detective Inspector Jim Munro said: “This incident has shocked the whole of our force area and we will leave no stone unturned in our search for the offenders

“We have a team of officers trawling through CCTV and speaking to residents in Marie Drive, as well as fast-tracking forensic analysis of the baby seat.

“We are asking anyone who may have seen the grey Audi A3 S-line with registration number BJ66 YLV since yesterday afternoon to contact us.

“We are delighted that mother and baby have been re-united and we wish Clare a speedy recovery.”

Anyone with information should call the high harm team at Stechford on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.