A WOMAN was attacked from behind with a piece of wood during an attempted robbery.

Police are appealing for information following the assault and attempted robbery in St Peter’s Street, Colchester at 7.45pm on Saturday.

A man approached the victim and asked to borrow a cigarette lighter outside Charles House.
 

When she stopped she was attacked from behind by a man armed with a lump of wood.
 

She was knocked to the ground before the two men tried to rob her.
 

The woman had fallen onto her bag and they demanded she handed it over but she fought back before the men ran off along St Peter’s Street towards Castle Park and the Dutch Quarter.
 

The first suspect is white, aged about 17 or 18-years-old and was wearing a dark blue hooded top.
 

He is about 5ft 9ins tall and thin.
 

The second suspect, who struck her with the wood, had darker skin and is aged between 17 and 20-years-old.
 

He had a slight build and was dressed all in black.
 

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “The victim was left very shaken, with minor injuries including bruising which she has had checked out at her doctors surgery.”
 

Police are hoping to speak to one witness, a man, who was spotted in the area shortly after, or anyone else who witnessed the unprovoked attack.
 

Anyone with information call Det Con Tim Harris at Colchester police station on 101.