A 67-year-old woman tried to resist a mugging by twice running away from her assailant during the incident in Headcorn Road, Thornton Heath, on Sunday.

At around 12.45am on July 14, when a man tried to steal her handbag, the woman broke into a run.

And when he eventually got hold of her bag and made off towards Goldwell Road, she again gave chase but saw him get on to a push bike and ride away.

A police spokesman said: "It was a residential area and she was shouting and screaming but no-one came out.

"We would very much like to hear from anyone who might have looked out of a window and seen something."

Police describe the man as around 20, 5ft 11ins and of slim build.

Contact PC O'Neill on 020 8768 1212.

July 17, 2002 11:30