A MOTHER and her heavily-pregnant teenage daughter fought off a robber who held them up at knifepoint.

The 50-year-old woman was punched in the face before being threatened with a four-inch knife to hand over cash.

The woman, who was sitting in the driving seat of her Ford Ka car in Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, had just visited the Lloyds TSB ATM when she was assaulted.

Her attacker, who covered his face with a scarf, opened the driver’s door demanding money and threatening the pair.

But the brave mother from Blackburn refused to hand over her purse and instead threw it into the passenger side footwell.

The thief tried to reach into the vehicle but was fought off by his victim and her 17-year-old daughter, who have not been named.

He then ran away across Union Road towards Pet Warehouse in Oak Street.

Detectives are now appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened shortly after 8pm on Wednesday.

Detective Sergeant Ian Proctor said: “This was a serious incident in the centre of Oswaldtwistle.

“I urge anyone who saw somebody acting suspiciously or hanging around the cash point to come forward and contact police.

“Thankfully nobody was hurt badly during this incident, but both victims were really shaken up.”

It was the second knifepoint robbery to happen near Union Road in the past four months.

In November, a 37-year-old man had his throat slashed as he returned to his car in Thomas Street after withdrawing money from the same ATM.

Following the attack the victim ran in to Cohen’s Chemist clutching his face and neck.

He told pharmacy staff he had been attacked in the car park.

Detectives combed the scene behind the row of shops from the Royal Oak pub past the chemist’s after the victim said he was forced to hand over £100.

DS Proctor said: “Officers are investigating several lines of inquiry and at this stage we are not linking this new robbery with the earlier incident.”

The attacker of the two women was white, in his late 20s to early 30s, around 6ft 2ins tall, of slim build with gaunt pointy features.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 .