A grandmother has told how a teenager left her “shaken” and nursing a sore arm after he snatched her handbag in broad daylight.

Marianne Johnson. 67, now wants to warn others to be more vigilant after the incident about 11am in Flora Road, Witham.

She said: “I was just strolling along, I had stopped to chat to a lady for ten minutes.

“There was nobody coming the other way and I crossed over to go to the Co-Op.

“All of a sudden from nowhere I felt a yank on my right arm. I thought it was a dog jumping up.

“I turned around and there was this youth running off.

“I was shaken up all day and I’m still shaken up now.”

Mrs Johnson said the thief got away with about £80 in cash, debit and store cards, medication and diaries.

The gran-of-two said she did not keep sentimental items in her handbag after she lost photographs in a similar incident three years ago.

Although she escaped serious injury, she said her arm was still sore.

She said: “I just want to warn other people to be careful.

“He could do it again, he’s probably done it before. He knew what he was doing.

“It’s not nice, the police are doing their best but I don’t suppose they will catch him.”

Mrs Johnson said the “tiny little chap” was about 15 or 16 years old and was wearing black trousers and a black hoodie.

She said the incident had left her wary of going out alone.

“My husband said ‘don’t you dare go up there again’. The Co-Op is the main one I like to go to but if I do go there I will just take what I need.”

Anyone with information about the incident, which happened last Thursday, can contact Essex Police on 101.