AN ELDERLY woman was knocked to the ground by a thug who snatched her handbag in an alley in Rochester. Irene Wood, 81, suffered two fractures to her wrist in the vicious attack as she went about her chores near her home in Maidstone Road.

The yob wrenched her bag containing cheque cards, £40 cash and photographs of relatives before shoving her on the back with such force that she toppled over.

He is described as white, aged between 23 and 28, about 5ft 8ins, wearing a light blue long-sleeved shirt with collar, grey, blue jeans and white trainers. He was of stocky build and had light brown hair.

PC Henry Treadwell said: "This was a particularly nasty and unprovoked attack on a vulnerable victim."

Anyone with information on the assault which happened in the alley near the King's Arms public house should ring police on 01634 884252 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.