POLICE are hunting a robber who attacked a 75-year-old woman in a church car park and stole her handbag.

The man grabbed hold of the victim and ripped the bag away before threatening a witness who gave chase with a hammer as he made off.

The incident happened in Newent on Monday, August 20, around 3.45pm as the elderly woman walked along a footpath at the back of St Mary’s Church car park.

Her attacker - described as a white man, aged about 25, at least 5ft 8ins tall and of thin build - grabbed hold of the pensioner and ripped the bag from her arm after she refused to hand it over.

He was chased along Lakeside by a witness and threatened the pursuer with a hammer before making off, said a Gloucestershire Police spokeswoman.

The handbag was later recovered, but some cash had been stolen from inside.

The offender was wearing black clothing consisting of a tight fitting jumper, trousers, shoes, a beanie-style hat and a knitted scarf pulled up to his eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting incident 269 of 20 August.