POLICE tonight appealed for witnesses after an 87-year-old woman in Headington had her purse snatched on her doorstep.

At 11.30am on Saturday, the woman was standing outside her property in Mattock Close when a man ran past, took her purse from her hand, and made off along Windmill Road in the direction of London Road.

He was white, in his twenties, thin, about 5ft 8i tall, and with short dark hair. He was wearing a grey-blue boiler suit or possibly tracksuit.

Det Con Simon Hannam, from the Oxford Robbery Team, said: "The person who did this may see it as a minor crime but to target a lady of this age is shameful. She has been left very shaken and her confidence to leave her home dented.

"I believe this theft would even be beyond the morals of most of Oxford's criminal fraternity. If you know who did this, then please get in touch; you can do this anonymously through Crimestoppers if you wish.

"Also, if you saw this man in the Headington area, perhaps running along Windmill Road, then please get in touch."

Det Con Hannam can be contacted via the Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505.

If you don't want to talk to police and don't want to leave your name, call the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.