A woman today described her terrifying ordeal as a robber held a knife to her throat in broad daylight as she walked down an alleyway behind her flat.
Geraldine Young, 57, was confronted by the attacker in the alley off Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff. He pulled an eight-inch kitchen knife and threatened her with the weapon while pulling her bag from her hands.
He ran off with the bag down Anerley Road - but he missed Mrs Young's purse, which she was holding in her hand throughout the robbery.
Mrs Young said: "He actually said: 'This is a hold-up' and I could imagine he would have been practising his lines in the mirror.
"I thought it was a joke at first but then he pulled out this eight-inch knife and I started to worry.
"That's the last thing you expect to happen at lunchtime."
The bag only contained an address book, library book, keys and tobacco worth £35.
She described the robber as white, of medium build and about 5ft 7ins tall.
He wore a grey woolly hat, a three-quarter length dark jacket and dark trousers.
A witness said he thought the jacket was grey.
Anyone with information about the robbery at about 11.40am last Thursday is asked to contact PC Morgan Cronin on 01702 431212 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111
Published Monday, January 27, 2003
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