An 83-year-old woman has been left shaken after her handbag, in which she kept photos of her dead husband, was stolen from a supermarket trolley.

Shirley Mallett had been shopping at Aldi on Plumstead Road on Tuesday, September 17 when she carried her bags back to her car, accidentally leaving her handbag in the trolley.

She soon realised her mistake, rushing back to the trolley, but discovered her handbag had already been stolen.

Having celebrated her birthday the day before and picked up her pension just hours earlier, the handbag contained cash, as well as her mobile phone and treasured photos of her husband.

Now, her family has created a fundraiser to replace some of the items, through which they have already raised £100.

Her granddaughter Cherie Howard said: "I put pleas out as it must have been someone locally, but it's a disgrace.

"She's 83, and she's frightened to go back out. She's barely left the house and she keeps saying its her fault.

"We keep telling her that we all make mistakes but she's devastated."

She said the family did text her grandmother's mobile phone, asking for the sentimental items to be returned, but did not receive a reply.

They have since bought her a new phone with the money raised online.

She praised the support they've had from well-wishers and those who donated to the fundraising page.

"We're not a family who normally do that sort of thing," she said. "There's been some lovely people and she's been overwhelmed by it.

"She just can't understand why someone would do that and why somebody would be so cruel."

Mrs Howard also praised the team at Aldi, who they said had been helpful since the incident, and said her sister Karina Wilson was checking in on their grandmother every day.

Police confirmed they were investigating the incident, which is understood to have happened at roughly 4.10pm, and said anyone with information should contact 101.

They can quote reference 36/65769/19.

To visit the Go Fund Me page, click here.