Elderly woman kicked on ground by young robbers

YOUNG thieves punched and kicked an elderly woman on the ground before stealing her handbag and running away.

The woman was waiting for a bus outside Peacocks, Church Street, on New Year's Eve when the four boys approached and tried to unhook her handbag from her arm in broad daylight.

She held on to it, and the gang started pushing and pulling at it before wrestling the woman to the ground where they punched and kicked her.

The gang - believed to be around 17 or 18-years-old - eventually took the bag before running off at around 1.15pm.

The robbers were chased off down Regent Street by the woman’s daughter and a ranger but were lost.

A police spokeswoman said: "The elderly victim strained her shoulder during the assault and is described as extremely upset and shocked by what has happened to her."

The black handbag contained cash, a Samsung digital camera, a small bunch of keys and gold necklace with leaf design pendant and two gold rings.

One of the gang is described as a clean shaven white man with a skinny face and short dark hair. He wore a black hooded top.

Another is described as wearing a blue zip up hooded top, blue jeans with one leg ripped at the thigh, while a third was wearing a light brown jacket and blue jeans. There is no description of the fourth boy.

Police also believe a white girl may have been with the group at around the time the incident occurred.