A MUM says she and her family have been left "petrified" after a burglar assaulted and threatened two of her children before stealing their French Bulldog puppies.

       Hayley King, 33, branded the masked attacker who targeted the family home "a monster" as she appealed for help to bring him to justice.

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       Hayley King, right, has revealed how a callous burglar broke into their home and assaulted two of her children before stealing their puppies Credit: Hayley King 6

       The four-week-old pups were snatched from their mum, Vivienne Credit: Hayley King

       The brazen thief broke into their house in St James, Northampton in the middle of the day at about 1.25pm on June 13.

       After grabbing Hayley's 12-year-old daughter by the throat, the 6ft-plus thug punched her son, 15, twice in the face before threatening to shoot him.

       The dognapper had marched into the family house and snatched the valuable four-week-old French Bulldog pups.

       Mum-of-three Hayley told Sun Online: "He came into the living room, he had a black duffle bag with him.

       Do you have any information about what has happened to Hayley's puppies? Please contact exclusive@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368

       "He started picking the puppies up by their legs. My daughter stood up and said: “What are you doing? Get off the dogs".

       “She tried grabbing the dogs off him. He grabbed her by the throat and chucked her to the floor.

       “Vivienne, the puppies’ mum, was going crazy and trying to bite him. He kicked Vivienne away.

       “My son, who is 15, was in the bath and ran downstairs and tried to stop him leaving with the dogs.

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       Hayley said the attack has left the family 'terrified' Credit: Hayley King

       “The man has then punched my son in the face twice, and said to him ‘if you don’t get off me I’ll shoot you'.

       "It's disgusting. I don’t know what monster would come in and do that. Assaulting the kids is just a different level.

       "I’m absolutely devastated. I want to catch the person that has done that to my children."

       After dumping the pups in a bag the callous thief fled through the back door.

       Hayley's son was left with a black eye after the sickening attack, which has left the family terrified.

       The burglar was wearing a grey Nike tracksuit with his hood up and a black snood covering his face.

       I don’t know what monster would come in and do that. Assaulting the kids is just a different level.

       Hayley King

       Police are hunting the cowardly attacker, who is described as white, at least 6ft tall and had an English accent.

       French Bulldogs can fetch at least ￡2,000 and their puppies ￡4,000 each, fuelling a boom in dognapping during Covid lockdown.

       The popular pugs have been championed by celebrities like Holly Willoughby, Lady Gaga and Madonna and are a hit on social media.

       In February, Lady Gaga's pups were stolen by armed thieves who shot and injured her dog walker.

       Earlier this week, police in Manchester arrested four people after a stolen French Bulldog was found 225 miles from home.

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       Lady Gaga's were stolen and her dog walker was shot in a sickening raid earlier this year 6

       Lady Gaga's dogs Koji and Gustav were taken in Hollywood, before being found again Credit: Refer to Caption

       Hayley, a hairdresser, said the attack "absolutely devastated" the family as she appealed for help to catch the thug.

       She fears their home was being watched and the attacker struck, entering through the front door after she and her partner popped out briefly.

       Her 16-year-old daughter was not at home at the time of the horrifying incident.

       Hayley said: "We don't feel safe in our own house at all now. I feel like I've been violated.

       "It was a horrible ordeal for the kids to go through. I can’t switch off.

       'ORDEAL'

       "They might come back. I’m constantly checking the windows and the doors.

       "To get these puppies out would be massive bonus, but to catch someone who did that to my kids - that's what I want."

       She praised her children's bravery, and vowed to make the stolen puppies "too hot to handle".

       Hayley has been "overwhelmed" by a Facebook appeal, which has been shared 70,000 times.

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       No arrests have yet been made as police hunt the dognapper as they appealed for information.

       A police spokesman said: "If the person who stole them is reading this, please do the right thing and take them to the local vets or contact us anonymously about where they are so we can return them to their rightful owners.

       "There are serious concerns as to the physical health of the puppies if they are not returned to the mother as they are only five weeks old."

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       Holly Willoughby poses with her French Bulldog Benny Credit: Xposure