DETECTIVES are hunting two callous crooks who forced their way into the homes of pensioners in Leigh at the weekend and tried to steal cash.

Police have warned old folk throughout the area to be on their guard after the crimes.

The offences - carried out at about the same time - are believed to be linked.

In one incident a man pushed his way into the home of a 69-year-old woman in Bonnywell Road, Leigh, and demanded money while putting his hand over her mouth to stop her shouting.

He then ran off with her handbag containing just £1.

In a second incident a youth pushed his way into the home of a 78-year-old woman in Pennington Road but ran away empty-handed when she made a fuss and shouted out.

Both men are believed to have been spotted sitting on a wall in Bonnywell Road a short time before the crimes were committed.

Police have released descriptions of the two men.

One is aged about 20, five feet 11 inches tall, of stocky build and wearing a black leather jacket.

The other offender is a teenager, about five feet eight inches tall, wearing dark clothes and he spoke with a "strange" accent.

Detective Inspector Ian Foster of Leigh CID bitterly condemned the men responsible for the mini crimewave.

He said: "These are despicable offences to deliberately prey on elderly people like that."

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