Woman, 78, battles with yob muggers

Margaret Cull-Candy, 78, was walking home along Knebworth Road on Saturday afternoon after visiting a friend when she was attacked from behind by two youths and pushed to the ground.

They ran off with her handbag.

Shocked but uninjured, she decided to contact the Observer. She said: "I think it is a good thing to let everyone know that they have to be careful.

"I had been to visit someone in the Methodist home. I went out at 2pm thinking to myself that it was a nice afternoon and I that I would walk.

"I always try to be home before dark, but it was after four when I left."

The widow told the Observer: "I heard footsteps. I looked round. It was two lads of about 17 or 18, quite nicely dressed.

"I wasn t scared but I don t like people behind me so I crossed the road.

"They grabbed me from behind. One tried to grab my handbag. I felt proud of myself because I was managing to keep hold of it. But they pushed me and I fell to the ground.

"They ran away the way they had come with my bag, leaving me in the mud. There was nobody else about so I banged on a door because I couldn t find a bell. I said 'I have been mugged. Can you ring the police for me?

"It was evident that I was genuine and I sat in the hall while they phoned.

"The police were very good. They were there in no time. They took me around the town in a police car to see if I could spot the lads.

"I was a bit shocked at first and annoyed by the thought that I had virtually handed over my handbag. I thought Why couldn t you have hung on to it? But the police said it was a good job I didn t.

"Later, I began to get annoyed. I began to think 'Who are these wretched people? "

In the attack Margaret s black handbag was taken containing an address book, NatWest bank cards, credit cards, a black pen with "Margaret" in gold lettering and a driving licence.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Darren Fisher at Bexhill Police station on 0845 60 70 999.

r Police plan to interview a teenage girl following the attack on 73- year-old Margaret McCusker who was punched in the eye in De La Warr Road while walking home from Mass at St Mary Magdalene s Church on Sunday, November 18.

But sector commander Inspector Max Mosley emphasised this week that there was no connection between the mugging and the attack on Margaret McCusker.

"Mugging is still a very rare thing to happen in Bexhill.

"We are very sorry that Mrs Cull-Candy has been a victim and we would appeal to anyone with information about this offence to come forward. Details will be received in complete confidence.

"This really is a very unusual modus operandi for us in Bexhill. I cannot recall the last mugging we had in the town.

"With Christmas coming, it is a traditional time for purse-snatching, but this is usually done by stealth in supermarkets - not by pushing anyone down to achieve it."