TWO tiny terrors snatched a pensioner's purse from right under the nose of the police.

One, a girl no older than nine, told an elderly woman she was lost and, while she was distracted, a 12-year-old boy snatched her purse.

The brazen thieves struck outside the Hutton Police Headquarters in Liverpool Road, in broad daylight on May 16 and then ran off towards the roundabout.

The pensioner, a widow who walks with a stick, has appealed to the pair to give back her wallet because it contains one of the few remaining photographs of her late husband.

She said: "I wish they would return my wallet because the photos that were inside it are irreplaceable. I'm not bothered about the money.

"I don't think they can be local children or they would have known we were standing right outside the police station. But it seems that no-one saw me anyway."

The children callously pretended to be lost and even started crying in a bid to distract her attention from the robbery.

"I even invited them back to my house so they could phone their mum and let them know they were safe. Thank goodness they didn't come," she told the Citizen.

After a few minutes the pair's mood suddenly changed and they ran off. It was only then that the elderly victim realised her purse and wallet, containing about £23 in cash, had been lifted from her handbag.

"The girl looked right into my eyes while she was talking to me - I'm sure my face will haunt her."

The boy was 4ft 4ins, had a round face with a pale complexion and had green and hazel eyes, brown hair and was well spoken.

The girl was only 3ft 9ins. She had a fresh complexion, round face and collar length brown hair, brown eyes and wore a dark green coloured hat. Call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 with information.

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