AN injured elderly victim of an alleged street robbery has spoken out about the devastating effect it has had on him and his wife.

Brian Pawley suffered cheek fractures, cuts, bruises and a black eye and his wife, Ruby, had two heart attacks following their ordeal as they walked home from the shops in Bournemouth.

The couple, both 77, were taken to hospital after an incident in Pinetree Glen, Westbourne on Saturday afternoon.

Mr Pawley was treated for his injuries and Mrs Pawley, who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease, suffered two heart attacks, one on Saturday night and another on Monday morning.

Speaking from his retirement home, Mr Pawley told the Daily Echo how he was forced to the ground and his wife’s handbag pulled from his hand.

He said: “There was someone on top of me but I was just shouting for my wife. She started screaming and shouting and she was all I was worried about.

“Poor Ruby - she just collapsed. I was just thinking it was fine to leave me on the floor as long as someone helped her.”

The couple, who have been married for 54 years, have lived in Westbourne for 17 years and Mr Pawley said they no longer feel safe there.

“Things have been changing for a while” he said. “There are a lot of people hanging around the streets and they swear at you as you walk past. We haven’t felt safe to go out at night for a long time but in the last couple of days I have been looking over my shoulder all the time.”

He said Mrs Pawley has become distressed in hospital and added: “These people don’t realise what they’re doing - they’re cowards. It’s sometimes the little things that matter.

“Ruby became extremely upset when she realised that a little pill box given to her by my father before he died was in her handbag.”

Mr Pawley praised members of the public who came to their aid when his wife started to scream.

Both victims were taken to Poole Hospital by ambulance and Mr Pawley, a retired engineer for Wrigley’s in Plymouth, was allowed home the same day. Mrs Pawley was then transferred to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

He added: “She was so worked up. On Monday she started seeing double and suffering from headaches.

A 39-year-old man has been charged with robbery and will appear before Bournemouth Crown Court on June 21.