POLICE are appealing for witnesses after an elderly woman in Wythall was dragged along the ground by a thief stealing her handbag.

The woman was walking along Three Oaks Road, off Lea Green Lane, on Monday at about 11.50am when a man grabbed her handbag.

She was pulled to the ground and dragged along before letting go of the bag.

The offender then ran off, getting into the passenger side of an old-style green Vauxhall Astra.

The soft, black leather bag with short handles and a zipped top contained cash and a mobile phone.

The man is white, in his late teens or early 20s, 5ft 6ins tall and of slim build. He had short dark hair and wore dark clothing.

Pc Paul Linton, of Wythall police, said: "The victim was extremely shaken and suffered extensive cuts and bruises.

"We're determined to find those responsible and appeal to anyone who witnessed this incident to get in touch

"It's callous to target the most vulnerable members of our community and it's fortunate this woman didn't suffer serious injuries."

Anyone with information can call Wythall police on 08457 444 888.