Baby Elsie Rose was punched in the face by a thug in a UK supermarket. Picture: Manchester Evening News

The hooligan suddenly belted tiny Elsie Rose in a Tesco, then calmly apologised and said: “Sorry I thought it was a doll.”

Elsie’s sister Libby, 7, thought the yob had killed baby Elsie in the store in Baguley, Greater Manchester, The Sun reports.

“I’m absolutely broken and torn apart. I can’t believe what me and my daughter had to see last night it was just so horrific,” mum Amy Duckers said.

“I never ever want anyone to have to go through that again.

“We all heard the punch land on my little baby. We didn’t react at first as we were just so shocked.

“Then I just screamed. He could easily have killed her.”

Elsie, who weighs just 3kg, was raced to hospital but thankfully is not believed to have been seriously injured.

Monday’s horror attack came as Amy and partner Lewis Temple, 24, took Elsie Rose out for the first time since she was born last week.

The family nipped into Tesco where they met a neighbour, who came over to look at the baby.

“Our neighbour then saw one of her work colleagues who was with her husband and said, ‘Aww come and have a look at this lovely baby’,” Amy told the Manchester Evening News.

“The next thing he ran over and punched Elsie Rose in the face leaving a very big fist mark shape across her forehead.

“We were mortified. My daughter was screaming thinking he had killed the baby.

“He then just apologised and said, ‘Sorry, I thought it was a doll’.”

Amy Ducker's baby was punched in the face after a man thought it was a doll. Picture: FacebookSource:Facebook

The family alerted security at the supermarket and Elsie Rose was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital where she was monitored overnight before being allowed home today.

Amy, a fulltime mum who lives in Brooklands, said: “She was quite sickly and sleepy last night but at least she is home now.

“I just cannot believe it happened and neither can anyone I tell. Strangers were even hugging me at the hospital when I told them about it.

“It has really put me off taking her out again though.”

The Tesco supermarket in Baguley, where Amy Ducker's baby was punched in the face. Picture: GoogleSource:Supplied

Amy posted the traumatic experience on Facebook, praising staff at Tesco for the way they handled the situation.

“Thank you so much to Baguley Tesco for all you did tonight, you were all amazing thank you so much for the way you dealt with the situation and treated us all,” she wrote.

Greater Manchester Police said a man had been arrested on suspicion of assaulting the baby.

“Police were called shortly before 6.45pm to a supermarket on Altrincham Rd in Baguley on Monday to reports of a child having been hit,” police said in a statement.

“The baby girl was taken to hospital as a precaution and has since been discharged.

“A 63-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assault and is currently in custody being questioned by officers.”

This story was originally published inThe Sunand is republished with permission