A PENSIONER has been injured after a man pushed her to the ground and pulled her handbag from her shoulder.

The 70-year-old had been shopping in Safeway, in West Dyke Road, Redcar.

She was returning home along Hanson Street when she was attacked at 8.30pm on Wednesday.

After he knocked her to the ground, the man pulled the handbag from her and ran off.

He jumped into a grey car parked in Hanson Street, which then drove off in the direction of Corporation Road.

A Cleveland Police spokesman said: "The pensioner was left with cuts and bruises to her right knee and was left badly shaken by the incident.

"She was unable to give a description of the attacker other than he was white."

At 9.45pm on the same night a 14-year-old girl found the handbag, which she had seen being thrown from a silver coloured car in College Road, Middlesbrough.

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact PC Tony Ward, at Redcar police station, on (01642) 302626.