THE pensioner robbed as she laid a wreath at her husband's grave has shown admirable courage in refusing to feel threatened.

We often read of people saying they are too scared to leave their homes at night because of the possibility they will be attacked, but the 71-year-old woman, who was knocked to the ground and had her handbag snatched in the grounds of St Peter's Church in Doffcocker, has even written a poem to her attacker to express her defiance.

Quite rightly, she says she will continue to tend her husband's grave and will not be stopped from going about her life as normal.

The woman says she hopes her attacker will see the error of his ways and writes in her poem: "It's up to you, just think it through, decide now - man or lout?"

Let us hope the person responsible for attacking this pensioner reads the poem and takes note - but somehow, we doubt it.