Police are appealing for witnesses after a youth tried to rob two old ladies in Clacton.

An Essex Police spokesman said the pensioners, 73 and 77, were walking along the seafront at Holland-on-Sea at about 3.15pm yesterday when the youth tried to snatch the bag they were carrying.

The youth pulled so hard at the bag that both women were knocked over, but the would-be thief escaped empty-handed.

He was described as white, 5ft 6ins tall, aged about 14, of slight build and with fair hair. He was wearing a light-coloured shirt and/or anorak and dark trousers.

Officers are keen to speak to anyone else who witnessed the incident, and in particular a woman walking her dog along the seafront at the time, who spoke to the pensioners immediately after the bag-snatch.

Anyone with information has been asked to contact Clacton CID on 01255 221312 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.