A WOMAN was stabbed in a quiet mid-Essex village while she carried out an act of good will.

The 39-year-old woman was driving along Back Lane, Little Waltham, near Chelmsford, at 12.30pm on Friday, June 18, and was a victim of a staged attack involving callous thieves.

While she stopped to see if a woman who was lying on open ground was OK, a man believed to be an accomplice passed by and the victims handbag was stolen.

The woman then got up and quickly ran off with the man, leaving their victim with a stab-wound.

She luckily managed to make her way to a Chelmsford doctors' surgery, where an ambulance was called to take her to Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford.

No trace of a weapon was seen following the incident, and it is not yet known who carried out the stabbing.

The woman on the ground was of medium build, aged in her twenties, and about 5ft 3ins tall. She wore a grey hooded top and had trainers with white luminous markings, which looked new. Essex Police said they have no description of her suspected accomplice. Det Sgt Bob Gilbert said: "This is a distressing incident and anyone with any information at all, no matter how vague is asked to contact police without delay." He said the scene of the incident is close to a nature reserve which is popular for people walking their dogs. Anyone with information about the crime should call Chelmsford police station on 01245 491212 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.