POLICE are hunting a robber who knifed a 30-year-old woman and stole her shoulder bag as she walked home from the shops pushing her baby in a pram.

The man brandished the kitchen blade and took a swipe at the victim as she attempted to hold on to her bag, which he snatched as her back was turned on Kendal's Buttery Well Lane at Saturday tea-time.

His actions caused the woman to release her grip on the purple and pink bag and she suffered a five-inch-long cut down the left side of her body.

She was left shocked but not seriously injured.

Her five-month-old child was unhurt in the attack, which happened shortly after 5pm.

Detective Constable John Robinson, of Kendal Police, said: "This was a very serious attack.

The fact that he has a weapon and has been prepared to use it is a cause for concern.

"The fact that she is not in hospital is more down to luck.

It could have been much worse."

After grabbing the bag, the robber ran off down Buttery Well Lane and up Captain French Lane towards the Heights and Tenterfell and police say he could have made his escape down one of the many alleyways in that area.

DC Robinson said it would have been busy in town at that time and urged anyone who saw anything suspicious to get in touch.

"Bearing in mind that the England football match was taking place that night there would have been people returning home to watch the game," said DC Robinson.

"We would also like to hear from anyone who may have come across the bag as that would give us a rough idea where he has been."

The assailant is a white male aged between 18 and 20.

He is of medium build, clean shaven with a clear complexion and is about 5ft 5in to 5ft 6ins tall.

He has a local accent and was wearing a black bomber jacket with zipper front, a black-coloured baseball cap, white trainers with a black Nike logo on the side and blue jeans.

Anyone with information should contact Kendal police on 01539-722611 or Crime-stoppers on 0800-555-111.

Police have not named the woman who was robbed.