The husband of a British woman who was strangled in front of her 11-month-old baby during a burglary in Greece said he “begged” intruders not to harm his family.

Charalambos Anagnostopoulos, 32, was asleep alongside his wife Caroline Crouch, 20, and their baby when three burglars broke into their home in Glyka Nera, near Athens, shortly before dawn on Tuesday.

Ms Crouch was tied up and strangled while civil aviation pilot Mr Anagnostopoulos was bound and gagged as the intruders searched their property for cash and jewellery.

State-run ERT TV said the family’s dog was also killed, while the baby was unharmed.

One rarely encounters such barbarity in Greece, in Greek society, even among criminals

Speaking to broadcasters outside what appeared to be their home, Mr Anagnostopoulos said: “I wish no-one ever goes through what we went through last night. It was a nightmare.

“We begged the thieves not to harm us. We told them where the money was and asked them to leave us alone. The police will catch them.”

The burglars escaped with cash and jewellery, while Mr Anagnostopoulos called police after managing to loosen his bonds.

A £260,000 reward for information has been announced by the Greek Government.

The minister responsible for public order, Michalis Chrisochoidis, described the killing as “particularly heinous”.

He added: “One rarely encounters such barbarity in Greece, in Greek society, even among criminals.”

Two teams of detectives have been set up to handle the investigation, he said.