A 67-year-old woman has been left with serious injuries after a thief attacked her from behind to steal her handbag.

The attack occurred on Clayton Hall Road at around 12.55pm on Friday (February 9).

It has been established that an unknown male suspect, dressed in black clothing approached the woman from behind, dragging her to the floor before stealing her handbag and making off towards Stanton Street.

The woman was taken to hospital with injuries to her leg and shoulder which are serious and will require surgery.

There have been no arrests made at this stage and enquiries are ongoing.

Police are keen to speak to the man pictured, as he may have further information that may help with the investigation.

Anyone with CCTV, doorbell, or dashcam footage that could help identify and locate those responsible should contact GMP.

Detective Sergeant Terina Arthern said: “This incident is a really sad one where an elderly lady has had her bag taken from her, while she was out conducting her daily business, causing no one any harm.

“The officers on the scene made sure she was as comfortable as she possibly could be until our colleagues from the North West Ambulance Service took her to hospital.

“She is currently awaiting surgery to the injuries she sustained during this incident, which will undoubtedly be life-changing for her at this stage in her life.

“We are exploring all possible lines of enquiry and every bit of information we receive will allow us to build a timeline before and after the incident.

“If you are the person in the picture or know the person in the picture, please make contact with us, as we believe this person could play a key part in assisting us with our enquiries.”

Information can be shared by calling GMP on 0161 856 3395 / 1146 quoting log number 1467 of 09/02/2024.

It is also possible to report information to GMP's website using the ‘tell us about’ tool: www.gmp.police.uk

Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.