A pregnant mother bravely confronted burglars she caught stealing Christmas presents from her home.

Farzaneh Ciottariello, of Gladstone Road, Watford, had just arrived home with her three-year-old son on December 22 when she spotted the two thieves.

She first knew something was wrong was when she spotted a strange silver Peugeot 206 car parked outside her house.

Assuming it was a delivery man, she parked a few spaces away and waited for them to leave, but nobody returned.

It was then she realised one man had gone into her house.

Mrs Ciottariello, who is five months pregnant, left her car, marched up to her house and caught the thieves red-handed.

One of the men fled towards Stanley Road. Then a second man came out, carrying an armful of wrapped Christmas presents.

“I shouted at him ‘How dare you, put those presents down’ and he just dropped them.

“He just looked at me in shock; I think he was more scared than me.”

Mrs Ciottariello said she couldn’t believe how “brazen” the two burglars were.

She shouted at a neighbour to call the police before the second man ran into the silver car, and drove off at speed. She then went to collect her son, who was screaming in her car.

When she got inside, she found the two burglars had ransacked the entire house, leaving drawers wide open and belongings strewn all over the place.

She added: “They stole presents, jewellery, champagne and wine.”

The mother, who is in her early 30s, said that the two men ruined her Christmas, leaving her reluctant to return home.

Speaking on Wednesday, she added: “We were spending Christmas at my mother in law’s but I have so far refused to go back home. I’m only going back for the first time today.

“I wish I had come home ten minutes later and not seen them.”

The mum, who is five months pregnant, had a checkup after the incident but thankfully only had a high blood pressure.

Police have issued an appeal for information about the burglary.

One of the men is described as Asian, wearing a light coloured denim jacket with a hooded jumper underneath and tracksuit bottoms.

The second suspect was also an Asian man, mid 30s, wearing a black beanie hat and metal framed, round glasses.

Anyone with information should contact Detective Constable Lewis Mortimer in the Watford Local Crime Unit via the police non-emergency number 101 or by email at lewis.mortimer2@herts.pnn.police.uk.