The boy was ordered out of his mother's Vauxhall Corsa by crooks who held up a building society in Roundhay.

The two balaclava-clad robbers, one wielding a gun, sped off leaving the child – who is understood to be below school age – sobbing in the street.

The robbery and carjack took place at the Leeds Building Society in Street Lane at around 5pm. One man stood at the door as his accomplice threatened staff with a gun.

The raiders got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.

An eyewitness told the YEP: "I was just getting into my car when I heard shouting and screaming.

"A woman ran in front of me and said some men had stolen her car. They got her son out of it and left him on the pavement.

"Thankfully he wasn't hurt but he was really shaken up.
"It was terrifying, really. If I had arrived just a couple of seconds later, I would have been blocking them in and Lord knows what might have happened.

"My wife might have been a widow now."

Police confirmed they were hunting two men in connection with reports of a robbery and car theft. The suspects wore dark clothing and balaclavas and carried a bag with a red stripe on top. The green Corsa –
FV02 CKA – was still missing today.

* Anyone with any information can ring North East Leeds CID on 0845 606 0606.