Terrified Annabel Croft mugged at London's King's Cross while waiting for taxi

Annabel Croft was terrified when she was mugged outside London King's Cross station.

The former Strictly Come Dancing star was ambushed by a man wearing a black balaclava and riding a bike while she was waiting for a taxi in the UK capital. She said he rode right up to her and snatched the phone out of her hands.

Luckily for the TV personality, the 57-year-old was able to get her phone back when the thief dropped it. The tennis has shared her experience in a bid to raise awareness but also to thank the lovely gentleman who helped her after witnessing the mugging.

She shared an update on Instagram: "I just wanted to warn people who are on their own in London. I just got mugged waiting for a taxi outside King's Cross St Pancras.

"The man was riding a bike and wearing a black balaclava. He rode straight at me and took my phone clean out of my hands. He rode away with it but luckily dropped my phone so I got it back. Terrifying!"

She added: "On a positive note, there are some lovely people out there. Luckily a lovely gentleman witnessed it and came over to help me. Thank you to whoever you are."

Croft is the latest celebrity to fall victim to a phone mugging. Love Island's Anna-May Robey revealed she had her phone snatched while she was in London in February.

Commander Owain Richards told Yahoo of phone thefts: "We understand the impact that mobile phone theft can have on victims – it's an invasive and sometimes violent crime - and we’re committed to protecting Londoners and tackling this issue as we make the capital safer.

"Met officers are targeting resources to hotspot areas, such as Westminster, Lambeth and Newham, with increased patrols and plain clothes officers which deter criminals and make officers more visibly available to members of the community.

"We continue to use data and technology to build intelligence and track stolen phones to target offenders as we fight community crime. We are also working with phone firms to design out the ability for phones to be reused and sold on as we seek to dismantle the criminal market that fuels robbery.

"We encourage people to report as soon as they can whenever they have been a victim of mobile phone theft, so officers can attend the scene and investigate swiftly."

Last week, the Government’s policing minister, Chris Philp, warned phone muggings in London are "far too high" in the Evening Standard's front page expose.

He told The Evening Standard: "Mobile thefts in London are far too high and that’s why we are asking police to follow all lines of inquiry to catch the perpetrators, including always running the CCTV of perpetrators through the facial recognition database.

"I also want phone manufacturers, particularly Apple, to do more to make these phones unusable following theft."

How can you keep your phone safe?

Thousands of phones are stolen in London every year, the Met police said. Thieves use pickpocketing and table surfing tactics but more recently there has been a rise in snatches from criminals on mopeds, according to the Met Police website.

Police advise don't leave your phone, iPad, tablet or camera out of your sight or on a table where thieves can snatch it in seconds. They urge anyone in London to be aware of their surroundings and only use a mobile where they feel safe. Most importantly, the police note to put away your phone when you are not using it.

What to do if your phone gets stolen

The Met Police in London have previously set out a few tips if your phone does get stolen.

They advise people should have a strong password or pin on your phone already. Plus, you should make a note of your IMEI number which can help you trace your stolen phone. To get your IMEI number, type *#06# on your phone keypad.

Also people are advised to turn off their message previews so that thieves cannot see any messages coming through about reset or login codes.

Yahoo has reached out to the Met Police and Annabel Croft's representatives for further comment.