A teenage girl snatched a purse from a 77-year-old, containing every penny the pensioner had to live on for this week.

The elderly woman says the attack has made her a prisoner in her own home - too scared to leave even in daylight.

The incident was one of three separate purse and wallet snatches in the Colchester area over the last few days.

The girl preyed on the pensioner as she left the Co-op supermarket at the Centre in Greenstead, yesterday, in broad daylight.

She grabbed the purse shortly after 11.30am and ran off towards Blackthorn Avenue. The victim was so shaken she fell over and hurt her leg.

Today PC Eric Turnbull, of Colchester police, condemned the attack as "very nasty".

He added: "The woman is very upset and extremely shaken. She says she's now too scared to go out, even in the daytime.

"Her friends have rallied around her, but she has been very affected by this."

he woman had bought a few groceries - enough for the weekend - but now has no money for the rest of the week for food and bills.

Police today appealed for witnesses to come forward. The centre was fairly busy at the time and officers are hopeful someone saw the attack.

The suspect is described as being in her late teens, about 6ft tall with short black or dark brown hair. She was wearing dark clothing.

In a separate incident a woman had her purse stolen after withdrawing £40 from the Co-op cashpoint in Eld Lane, Colchester, at 12.50pm yesterday.

The culprits were white men aged between 16 and 18. One had fair hair and was wearing a beige bomber jacket. The other had dark hair and was wearing a dark top.

In another unconnected incident, a man had his wallet snatched from his back pocket as he went into Tesco at Greenstead Road, Colchester, at 3.10pm on Saturday. The suspect was a white man, aged between 22 and 25 with a dirty face and short brown hair.

Anyone with information on these thefts should contact Colchester police on 01206 762212 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

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