A HEARTLESS thief snatched a woman's purse and ran away after knocking her shopping trolley over in Christchurch.

The victim, a woman in her 70s, was waiting to cross the road when a man knocked into her, causing her to wobble and the contents of her trolley to spill on to the pavement.

He then grabbed her purse and fled the scene, outside Co-op on Fairmile, opposite Rutland Road, between 10am and midday on Friday June 17.

Now police have appealed for help in tracing the offender, who fled in the direction of Arcadia Road.

"As the victim began picking up her shopping she noticed the man bend down and pick something up. He then ran away toward Arcadia Road" said a Dorset Police spokesman. "The following day the victim noticed her purse,, containing bank cards and cash, was missing.

The offender is described as white, of skinny build, approximately five feet four inches tall and aged in his 20s. He was wearing a black baseball cap, black jerkin-type coat, black trousers and black boots with laces, described as old hockey boots.

Police Constable Alexandra Seymour, of Christchurch police, said: "I am appealing to anyone who was on Fairmile last Friday and either witnessed the incident or saw a man matching the description in the area to please contact me."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting incident number 18:175. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or via crimestoppers-uk.org.