WESTBOURNE residents have spoken of their shock and anger after an elderly couple were attacked during a street robbery at the weekend.

As reported in the Daily Echo, a man in his 70s sustained a serious facial injuries after being shoved to the floor in Pine Tree Glen at 1.15pm on Saturday.

His wife suffered a mild heart attack.

The robber grabbed a white handbag from the male victim and then made off towards Milburn Road, which runs parallel to Poole Road.

CCTV images of the suspect were released by officers investigating the violent robbery. The footage was taken from Bang & Olufsen in Westbourne.

Owner Kevin Dawson said the area is facing problems due to the lack of "bobbies on the beat".

"There just aren't police around any more," he said.

"I used to have a mobile phone number I could call if I needed to and there'd be someone out in seconds. That's been taken away."

Mr Dawson said there are problems with drug addicts and rough sleepers in Westbourne. Businesses are often raided by shoplifters, he said.

"We used to have bobbies on the beat," he said.

"The focus is on Bournemouth town centre and it all just gets pushed out to Westbourne."

In Pine Tree Glen, which lies a short walk from the centre of Westbourne, residents said the robbery was "frightening".

One, who asked not to be named, said: "It happened in broad daylight on a beautiful, sunny day.

"It does make you feel like you're not safe. There are a lot of elderly people living here and they're being targeted.

"You don't like to make assumptions about what type of person could have done something like this, but it's not normal to attack elderly people."

David Elliott, who lives in Westbourne, said: "The type of punishment you normally get through the courts isn't enough for whoever did this.

"There's just not enough funding for police now and it's really starting to show."

Detective Sergeant Andy Haworth, of Bournemouth CID called for anyone with information on the "nasty attack" to come forwards.

To contact police, visit dorset.police.uk or call 101 quoting occurrence number 55180076006.