POLICE were called after claims a baby was attacked outside a Hampshire fast food restaurant today when her mum stepped in to stop another customer being assaulted.

It is understood the one-year-old child was in its mothers arms when she went to the aid of a fellow diner.

The dramatic scenes unfolded in Winchester earlier this afternoon and involved a woman in a wheelchair who is said to have lashed out at a woman who was accompanying her.

When another woman, carrying the child, attempted to intervene it is alleged that the wheelchair-bound woman grabbed at the baby's hair and assaulted her.

The woman was restrained by onlookers while police were called and was later escorted to Winchester Police Station, the Daily Echo was told.

The child was unharmed.

The mother, who asked not to be named, told how she intends to press charges and said she was appalled that no one came to the victim's aid inside the restaurant.

She said: “It took a lot of women to come and help - all the men sat there and thought this was a bit of fun.”

Anna Blaszczyk, McDonalds manager, denied the family's claims her staff failed to help, saying they offered assistance and helped the alleged attacker back into her wheelchair.

“From our point of view, we really did whatever we could,” she said.

Police are understood to be investigating the incident.