An influx of well-meaning readers have come forward offering help to an 88-year-old widow who was duped out of £100 while in a Deal charity shop.

Widowed Margaret Philpott thinks she was targeted after the cash disappeared from her purse when she was talking to two women claiming to be collecting for a hearing charity.

Since her story featured of the front page last week’s Mercury, three groups of people have offered to give her the cash and two others have offered to assist her on future shopping trips because the incident has knocked her confidence so much.

Mrs Philpott has been informed of the offers and is still deciding what to do.

“I cant believe someone could be so cruel as to rob her like that" - Kentonline and Mercury reader Kevin Allen

Margaret Edwards, of Deal Ice Breakers which organises the Boxing Day Dip, said: “When I read the story it brought tears to my eyes.

“How could these people do this? It’s like stealing from your own mother.

“It would be our pleasure to give her the money. If she wasn’t to accept it she might like to give it to our Boxing Day Dip charity in aid of Freddie Penny.”

Dan Reid of Total Motor Care in Sandwich also wanted to reimburse the pensioner.

He said: “She’s somebody’s mum and nan.

“We’d like to give her the money and it’s for her to do as she pleases.

“We don’t mind if she’d like to give it to charity of if she’d like to use it to have her hair done.”

Sandwich resident Stephanie Henry has teamed up with Sue Ryder Care manager Joanna Underwood to organise a collection in the shop where the incident happened in Deal High Street. Donations are still being collected.

Volunteer for Deal Library and the Red Cross, Mary Manning, 74, from Walmer, and retired Kevin Allen, 76, of Birdwood Avenue, contacted the Mercury offering to take Mrs Philpott shopping.

Mr Allen said: “I cant believe someone could be so cruel as to rob her like that.

“If she is now too nervous to go out alone, I’m happy to go with her so that she will feel secure.

“I’m retired now myself so I have a lot of time on my hands.”

Police are still investigating the theft, which happened Thursday, October 27 in the Sue Ryder shop, High Street, Deal, at about 11.30am.

They appeal to anyone who might have seen the two women to get in touch by calling police on 01843 222289 or Crimestoppers (anonymously) on 0800 555 111 quoting reference ZY/038599/16.

They are described as white and aged between 20 and 30. One waswearing a white jumper with horizontal stripes and the other had a black top and black headscarf.