A thief who followed an 87-year-old woman home and pushed her to the ground has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Lisa Jones, 29, was high on heroin and crack cocaine when she saw Evelyn Roaf shopping in Summertown, on March 30 this year.

She begged 50p from the pensioner and, seeing she had money in her purse, followed her home.

Jones, of Aldrich Road, Oxford, knocked on Mrs Roaf's door asking to use her telephone then took her purse from her coat. Mrs Roaf pushed her, Jones pushed her back and the two fell to the floor before Jones ran off taking £80 in cash and credit cards from the purse.

Jones appeared at Oxford Crown Court and admitted burglary with violence. She was sentenced to four years for the burglary and for stealing £842 in 17 other offences of shoplifting, dishonesty and deception.

Mrs Roaf told the Oxford Mail she was pleased Jones was behind bars.

She said: "I think it was very dangerous, I could have been severely injured. It has made me feel very unsafe and nervous while doing my shopping.

"I understand she is rather a sad case but to follow me home and attack me, it wasn't very pleasant for me."

Dc Roy Thornton, of Oxford police, said: "I'm very pleased as this was a particularly horrid case. The lady was left so scared she has had to have extra security and fencing put around her house so that she feels safe."

Claire Tucker, prosecuting, said: "Mrs Roaf suffered emotionally as a result, but fortunately she was not physically injured. She has been feeling very insecure and vulnerable and she can't walk without a Zimmer frame."

She said Jones only admitted the offence after she was told her fingerprints were found on Mrs Roaf's door frame.

Sumita Mahtab, defending, said: "In the past three years she has been heavily involved in drugs, she has been in a state of crisis, she was self harming and unable to cope with her partner of 10 years, with whom she has two children, leaving her."

She said the reason for the offence was drugs.