A jaw-dropping EastEnders moment saw Jacqueline Jossa's character Lauren Branning punched to the floor by a man in a brutal street mugging.

The character - who works as a car dealer at Square Dealz - had been out for a test drive with prospective customer Mark Fowler Jr (Stephen Aaron-Sipple).

After Mark momentarily left to get food, she was soon ambushed by an opportunistic thief.

In the scene, which aired on Thursday, the pair wrestled for control of the car keys, as Lauren demanded that the man get off her.

Ignoring the pleas, the man struck her in the face, sending her to the ground - before he drove the car away.

Mark witnessed this and chased after the vehicle, then went to check on a bruised Lauren.

Although all was not as it seemed, as the episode ended with viewers learning Mark had, in fact, arranged the whole thing.

The thief approached Mark - who was far from impressed with his associate's actions.

He fumed: 'What the hell were you playing at? You weren't supposed to touch her.'

The other man replied: 'She got lairy. She's a livewire. I'll take my cut when it's there.'

This prompted Mark to get in his lackey's face, as he said: 'You better hope she doesn’t remember what you look like or you ain’t getting a cut.

'Get out of my face now.'

Reacting to these scenes, one viewer wrote on X: 'Omg poor Lauren a guy snatched the keys and punched her then drove away with the car #EastEnders.'

Another added: 'Isn’t that guy part of the gang Mark works for? Did Mark set Lauren up?'

A third remarked: 'That's the last you've seen of that motor, Lauren.'

A fourth said: 'Come on Lauren you can't be that silly to see it was a set up #eastenders.'

A fifth commented: 'Just as we suspected it has been revealed that Mark orchestrated the car theft which put Lauren in danger as he seeks to payback his debt? 

'It looks like this is what might link Mark into the Flashforward - but how will Max and Jack react?'

In late January, EastEnders announced Stephen Aaron-Sipple had taken over the role of Mark.

Emmerdale actor Ned Porteous - aka Joe Tate - played Mark during his previous stint in 2016. 

It was teased the character would reunite with both sides of his family - Fowler and Mitchell - upon returning to Walford. 

Discussing his casting, Stephen said: 'Having grown up in East London, EastEnders has been in my life since childhood and I’m excited to be joining not one, but two iconic Albert Square families!

'I’m looking forward to viewers seeing why Mark is back, and what Walford has in store for him.'

Executive producer Ben Wadey added: 'We are thrilled to welcome Stephen Aaron-Sipple to EastEnders and bring Mark back to Albert Square.

'Viewers had a glimpse of Mark in the New Years Day flash-forward episode, with the circumstances around his upcoming involvement with the Brannings set to unfold throughout the year.'

EastEnders airs on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.