TWO thieves who stole an 89-year-old woman's shopping after knocking her to the ground have started four-year jail terms for robbery.

The pensioner suffered a broken hip and severe bruising when Andrew Chadfield and Matthew Craig pushed her in the back and stole her bag after she had fallen to the ground.

Bolton Crown Court was told on Friday their elderly victim now lives in a residential home after the attack in Bury last July left her traumatised.

Sentencing the pair, Recorder Hiranya Narayan said: "For this lady no sentence would be long enough. You were both responsible for targeting a vulnerable old lady.

The court was told the pensoner was returning home with her groceries from Bury town centre when she was attacked.

She got off a bus in Bolton Road and walked along Orpington Drive with her walking stick when she noticed two people behind her.

Chadfield, aged 20, of no fixed address, and Craig, aged 18, of Halter Close, Radcliffe, pushed in the back and grabbed her bag before fleeing.

The pensioner was taken to Bury's Fairfield General Hospital with a broken hip and severe bruising to her arm and cuts to her hands and face.

Police arrested Craig and Chadfield the same night.

Michael Lavery, prosecuting, said two months after the incident the pensioner was allowed home but had to leave because she felt "nervous and insecure. Mr Lavery said she had suffered physical and mental problems since the incident.

Chadfield and Craig were both jailed for four years and three months each.

Chadfield was also ordered to serve an extra 196 days in custody for a previous burglary offence.

After the case, the pensioner's 69-year-old son said: "I hope these men realise their actions on that day changed my mother's life forever. Before this attack my mother enjoyed her independence and was able to live on her own with the support of her family and friends.

"Since then she has been in and out of hospital and has needed to move from her flat to live in a retirement home because she is no longer able to look after herself."