A GRANDMOTHER was robbed as she lay dying in the road after an accident, her son said yesterday.

Graham Ford, 48, condemned thieves who stole his mother's purse after she was hit by a car, and offered a £500 reward to catch the thieves.

Audrey Ford, 70, from Harrogate, was walking home after she collected a prescription from the chemist when she was involved in the accident in Harrogate town centre on Monday, June 25.

She died in Harrogate District Hospital.

Mr Ford, an only child, said he was disgusted by the theft.

He said: "She was lying there struggling for life, but someone has still felt the need to steal from her."

Mr Ford, who runs a car dealership, moved his family and his mother to Harrogate 12 years ago to give them a better life.

He said: "She prided herself on being independent. She was 5ft tall and six stones dripping wet, so we did her shopping for her, but she did not like to stay indoors."

The married father-of-two said he did not believe there would have been much money in his mother's purse.

A police spokesman said officers were still investigating whether Mrs Ford had been robbed, but said it was "quite probable".

He appealed for witnesses and said officers would particularly like to speak to the occupants of a red Peugeot car seen nearby at the time of the accident.