DETECTIVES have expressed their concern after two incidents where women were robbed in broad daylight, in the Darlington town centre area.

In one incident, a pensioner was approached from behind and had her handbag snatched.

In the other, two young women ran off with a purse from a woman's bag, in one of the busiest parts of the town.

The attacks, on Thursday, follow a daytime attack by two men on a 62-year-old woman in the town's Wordsworth Road on Friday, March 16, where a purse was taken after the woman was knocked to the ground.

The first of Thursday's robberies happened at 8.45am in Gladstone Street, close to Central House, the headquarters of the town's social services.

A 69-year-old lady was approached from behind by a young man, believed to be wearing a blue coat.

He hooked his arm into the strap of her brown shopping bag and pulled it from her grip, before running into North Lodge Park.

A police dog team searched the area, but found nothing.

The bag contained groceries and a brown imitation leather purse, with £20 in cash inside.

Detective Sergeant Alec Francis, of Darlington police, said yesterday: "It's quite disturbing to think that anybody of any age should be subject to this type of crime, but certainly with elderly and vulnerable people it makes it even more offensive."

In the second incident, between 11.30am and 11.40am on the same day, a woman was standing at the Horsemarket end of the covered market.

She noticed two young women, aged 18 to 20, standing next to her, who suddenly ran off.

Alarmed, the woman checked her belongings and noticed a little red leather wallet had been stolen from her shopping bag .

One of the women was 5ft 5in, of slim build, with black hair. She wore a checked blue-grey jacket. The second was about 5ft 7in, with short, dark hair.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on (01325) 467681, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.