A frail 84-year-old woman was repeatedly punched in the head, left with a deep wound in her head and robbed of her handbag during a mugging Mitcham last night.

The vulnerable, elderly woman was walking in the South Lodge Avenue area just before 9.55pm last night (Thursday, August 25), when she felt someone pull her handbag from behind.

She tried to hold onto it, but was shoved to the floor, landing on her back.

Lying on her back, the victim looked up and saw her attacker. She described him as a dark-skinned male, about 20 to 25 years old, wearing a dark-coloured hooded top with the hood up and dark trousers. He was riding a bike.

The mugger stood over her and repeatedly punched her in the head and body. The suspect then fled with her bag and its contents.

Wimbledon Times:

A third party called Merton police, who found the pensioner with a two-inch cut to the top of her head, and bad cuts to her right elbow and left hand (pictured above).

To offer information, call police on 101, quoting crime reference number 1410474/16.

If you would like to offer information anonymously, call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.