THIS is the heavily pregnant Hampshire mum left bruised, battered and fearing for the life of her unborn child when she was attacked by schoolboy street robbers.

Rachael Andrews, who is seven months pregnant with her second child, was on her way to pick up her daughter from her pre-school when she was jumped on from behind by teenagers who threw her against iron railings with such force it sent her crashing to the floor.

Not satisfied with seeing the helpless mum writhing in pain on the ground the pair tried to snatch Mrs Andrews handbag from her grasp.

But despite her agony the brave 26-year-old refused to give up her bag, holding on to it until her attackers fled.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Echo, Mrs Andrews, pictured above with daughter Corrin, said the attack in broad daylight had left her bruised and shaken.

"My back aches and I have bruises all along the top of my stomach from being thrown against the railings. My knee crashed into one of them and I just fell to the floor.

"I suppose it was instinct really that made me hold on to my bag, stupid really, but I wasn't going to let them have it."

Mrs Andrews, of Lordshill, Southampton, said despite being physically assaulted by the pair the worst part of the ordeal was seeing the teenagers, who were dressed in school uniform, laughing as they ran away.

"I was just sickened," she said. "That was the worst part for me to see them laugh at what they had done. I had to stagger to my daughter's school for help. All the staff and parents were fantastic. I don't know what I would have done without them."

Mrs Andrews went straight to the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton for an emergency check-up. She said: "It was a really worrying time, I didn't know what had happened and if everything was alright. I had to go through a number of tests which wasn't nice but as far as we know everything is OK.

"I have lived in Lordshill all my life and always felt safe but now I don't want to walk on my own around here, I will get the bus in future so I don't have to."

Angry husband Wayne Andrews, 30, said: "They just don't have any respect for anyone. I dread to think what would have happened they had attacked her any later as my daughter would have been with Rachael and that would have effectively been my whole family. It disgusts me that people could do that.

"As if pregnancy isn't worrying enough without this sort of thing, particularly as we had a miscarriage last year."

Police are now appealing for anyone who saw the two boys running from the scene at the subway on Romsey Road, Lordshill, about 11.30am on Tuesday.

PC Jim Griffiths, of Southampton police's Hulse Road robbery unit, said: "We are treating this incident very seriously. The consequences of this attack could have been much worse and I would appeal to anyone who has any information to contact us immediately.

"We are investigating the possibility that the two youths go to school in the local area. They might have mentioned the incident to their friends and I would appeal to them to search their consciences and tell us anything they know."

Officers are now contacting local schools in a bid to catch the pair who were aged between 14 and 15 with dark brown hair and between 5ft 1in and 5ft 5in.

Call the Robbery Unit on 0845 045 4545 or ring the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.