A pensioner was left with a broken nose and cheekbone after a vicious daylight mugging yesterday.

Margaret Kent, 61, who is partially deaf, was only yards from her Middlesbrough home when a man approached her from behind.

He rained blows on to her head and face before making off with her handbag, which contained her hearing aid. She had to be taken to hospital for treatment.

Detective Sergeant Gary Fernandes said last night: "Mrs Kent has hearing difficulties and although the attacker could not have known it, her hearing aid was in her bag. The impact on her is significant as it isolates her even more.

"Mrs Kent is a person of limited income and although it wasn't a large amount of money which was taken, it's a considerably large amount for her."