AN elderly woman was followed by a robber who snatched her handbag, throwing her to the floor causing a nosebleed and extensive bruising to her arm.

The 80-year-old woman was walking along The Chase, Rayleigh, at around 1pm on Wednesday, March 31, when a man she had passed in the street followed her to a house and grabbed her bag.

The robber is described as white, aged between 20 and 30, and was wearing a white t-shirt, blue bottoms and white trainers.

He ran off down Bramfield Road West and was last seen in an alleyway leading to garages.

Police ask that anyone finding the woman's bag, which is brown in colour and is covered with small pictures of cats, does not touch it but calls them immediately.

Anyone with information should contact PC Ben Beetson at Castle Point CID on 0300 333 4444.

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