A heavily pregnant mum charged an attacker with her pushchair and house keys after being chased across an Oxford park.

Monica Thomas, 20, who is seven months pregnant, was followed by a man while walking with her two-year-old daughter and a pushchair in Blackbird Leys in the early hours of Sunday.

Miss Thomas was followed from Field Avenue and when she reached the end of Bulrush Road, at the entrance to Gillians Park, the man began hurling abuse and broke into a sprint.

Pushing the pram, Miss Thomas raced across the park before realising he was about to catch up with her.

She stopped and turned around to confront her attacker.

She brandished her keys and the bulk of the pushchair to defend herself but the man jumped into a brook and armed himself with a piece of wood.

Miss Thomas, of Mercury Road, fled a second time and called police on her mobile phone.

She managed to get to a neighbour's door in Greenfinch Close.

When police arrived they searched the park with torches but the man had gone.

Miss Thomas said: "If I hadn't turned around I don't know what would have happened to me because he was right behind me and would have grabbed me.

"I thought I should try and defend myself so used the buggy and keys because they were the only thing I had.

"When I saw him banging a piece of wood I realised he was looking for something to hit me with and decided it was rather dangerous. I'm pregnant and with a pram so I couldn't run very fast.

"I was on the phone to the police running for my life and they were telling me to hold on. But I was so scared."

Miss Thomas had walked from Greenfinch Close across Gillians Park to Field Avenue shortly after 2am to make sure her teenage sister's friend got safely on a bus.

The man is described as in his early 30s, slim and muscular with mousey brown hair, and was wearing dark jeans and a blue T-shirt.

Miss Thomas added: "I believe he was trying to rape me. The stuff he was shouting that he was going to do to me was disgusting.

"Whoever this man is he's still out there. I don't know where he came from or if he is from Blackbird Leys or not. It was so scary. I've lived here all my life but I won't walk across Gillians Park again at night."

Police spokesman Claire Gourlay said four police officers searched the area but found no sign of the man.

They are not linking it with any other incidents, she added.

Anyone with information should call police on 08458 505505 or speak anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.