Police in Birmingham are hunting a robber who dressed as Santa Claus before forcing his way into a family house.

The man knocked on the door of a house in Quinton at around lunchtime on Monday. He claimed to be making a charity collection.

When the 22-year-old female resident said she did not want to contribute, he punched his way into the house, accompanied by a second man in a tracksuit who had been hiding nearby.

The pair then assaulted the woman, while demanding gold. Her 54-year-old father arrived at the house a short time later and was punched in the face before the crooks fled.

The man dressed as Father Christmas is described as white, in his early twenties, around 5 ft 5 in tall and speaking with a Birmingham accent.

The second man was black and in his early twenties, a round 5ft 6in tall and had a stocky build. He was wearing a black hooded jumper and dark tracksuit bottoms.

"I'm sure everyone will appreciate that this was a terrible crime committed where people should feel the safest - their home," said Detective Constable Simon Rainbow, leading the investigation.

Gold