DETECTIVES hope a handbag will bring vital clues after an 92-year-old woman was attacked and robbed in Blackburn.

Police have released a picture of a handbag, similar to the one which was stolen, in the hope that it may jog someone's memory.

The pensioner was on her way home from a shopping trip to Southport when she was attacked by two youths who knocked her to the floor and stole her brown leather handbag.

Police are renewing their appeals for inform-ation after the incident which happened at 5.50pm on Saturday, October 6.

The woman got off the coach near the Tesco store, Accrington Road, and as she walked on to St Clements Street she was approached from behind by two males who knocked her to the ground and grabbed the handbag from her shoulder.

Both then made off down Temple Drive with the bag, which contained a small amount of cash and some personal items.

A passer-by saw the commotion and alerted the police. The woman was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital with a broken arm and a badly bruised leg.

DC Mark Laing said: "We still need to find the bag and I urge anyone who has seen a discarded handbag similar to this one in the Accrington Road or Temple Drive area to get in touch.

"This handbag may hold vital clues to help us to identify the person or people responsible for this unprovoked attack on an elderly lady and I urge anyone with information to come forward."

The offenders were white youths and were wearing dark clothing.

Anyone with information should contact the police on 08451 253545.