YOUNG mum Kim Phelps snatched her baby daughter back from a woman who tried to steal her at a Brighton town centre store.

Six-month-old Shailyn was with her mother in the Argos store in Western Road when the woman pushed her away in her buggy towards the exit.

Shocked Kim, 24, sprang into action.

She immediately challenged the woman and called out: "What are you doing - that's my bubby.

"She just stood there holding the buggy. She became aggressive and told me I was young and stupid.

"I told her not to touch my baby. I'm convinced she was trying to steal her. Either that or she was going to park her round the corner for some kind of sick joke."

The woman hurriedly left the store and police today appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Miss Phelps, who lives in Brighton, warned other parents: "Keep a close watch on your children.

"I felt like crying at the time. I couldn't believe anyone would do such a thing.

"Shailyn is so precious to me. I had a difficult time having her - she weighed 11lb and they had to break her collar bone to deliver her."

Miss Phelps was going through an Argos catalogue at 4.15pm yesterday and had Shailyn on one side of her and her other daughter Asha, five, on the other.

She remembers seeing the woman move alongside and casually push Shailyn away. "I actually watched her do it. I was so shocked.

"She looked middle-aged and respectable - until she opened her mouth. She was very aggressive."

Police were today checking store and street security cameras.

The woman is in her forties, 5ft 3in, with long brown hair, almost down to her waist. She was tanned, wore a black leather-look coat and spoke with a Northern accent.

The woman was with a man, 5ft 5in, scruffy and wearing a baseball cap.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.