POLICE are hunting a burglar who stole a pensioner's glasses off her face.

Officers were so moved by the plight of the 73-year-old woman in Froissart Road, Eltham, that they had a whip round to help buy her a new pair of spectacles.

The incident happened at about 3.30pm on August 30.

The elderly woman was at home when she heard someone banging on her back door.

She opened the door and a man said he was from the council and that he needed to look at her garden.

He swept past the victim, grabbed her arm and said she needed to go upstairs with him so they could look at the hedges from her bedroom window.

While he was trying to open the window, the victim managed to break free and made her way back downstairs and tried to dial 999.

The suspect realised what she was doing, grabbed the telephone out of her hand and slammed it down.

He then began searching the house, found her handbag and stole £75.

Before leaving the house he pulled the woman's glasses off her face and took those with him.

The suspect is described as a white man, aged approximately 20 years, about 5ft 4ins tall, with short dark brown hair and green eyes. He had a gruff voice and spoke with an English accent. He was wearing a striped blue and white shirt and blue jeans and black trainers.

PC Ian O'Hara, from Eltham police, said: "It is important to remember, always leave the chain on when you answer your door to anyone who claims to work for the utilities or police or any other company.

"If in doubt keep them out! Also if you live near an elderly or vulnerable neighbour and notice anyone acting suspiciously near their home, call 999.

"This despicable act left the victim disturbed and upset, and to walk off with her glasses was the last straw.

"My colleagues and I from A team were so touched by the victim's plight we had a quick whip round and collected a sum of money to help towards the cost of a new pair of glasses."

Anyone with any information should call Greenwich Burglary Squad on 020 8284 9570 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.