in Bolton. The man held his hand over the 70-year-old's mouth as she tried to scream for help in Breightmet on Wednesday (December 3).
The woman was walking along a footpath at the end of Honiton Drive when she was approached at around 11.20am. The man pretended to know her by asking if her name was ‘Mavis’.
He then grabbed her, put his arm around her neck and demanded she hand over her purse. The petrified victim struggled as he rummaged through her pockets where he found her Samsung mobile phone.
He then released the woman who ran to a nearby house to get help. Her daughter said the incident has left her so “shaken up” she now refuses to go out alone.
Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk