A TERRIFIED mother pleaded with would-be car-jackers not to take her vehicle - because her two young children were still in the back.

The 22-year-old woman had just finished loading her shopping at the Bluewater complex at Greenhithe, near Dartford, when the two men pounced.

The men demanded she hand over the keys to her T-reg Ford Focus - and slammed her head against the steering wheel when she begged them not to take it because of the children.

They then fled empty handed and the victim, helped by another shopper, raised the alarm.

Although it was 8.30pm there were still plenty of people around and police hope someone will have witnessed the incident in the car park outside Marks and Spencer.

North Kent police spokesman Martin Pearce said: "This was an extremely frightening incident for both the woman and her children."

One of the men was white, 6ft and stocky with brown hair. He was wearing a navy-blue coloured tracksuit and black trainers.

The other was black, 5ft 9in and wore a hooded Nike top, knee-length puffed-style jacket and blue tracksuit trousers.

Anyone who witnessed last Thursday's incident is asked to telephone North Kent police on 01322 283154 or Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555111.