A man has appeared in court charged with robbery and kidnap after a young mother's car was stolen in Birmingham with two toddlers in the back.

Cedric Brown, who is accused of dragging a woman from her car and driving away with her two young children still strapped in the back seats, was remanded in custody after a brief hearing before Birmingham magistrates on Thursday morning.

It is alleged that the 44-year-old carjacked the young mother's Ford Focus in Somerset Road, Erdington, at around 11am on Tuesday.

He was arrested a short time later and was charged with robbery, two counts of kidnap, and possession of a knife in connection with the incident.

The two children - a one-year-old boy and his sister, aged two - were unhurt and later reunited with their mother by police officers.

Two other men arrested nearby - a 19-year-old from Perry Common and an 18-year-old from Bromford - have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Brown, of no fixed address, was further charged with aggravated burglary and wounding with intent in relation to a separate incident near Bristol in November 2010.

He will appear at Birmingham Crown Court on April 10.