Police were last night continuing to investigate a mugging at King's Lynn, which left a frail 82-year-old woman with a fractured hip. A youth on a bicycle rode up behind Gwendoline Joyce as she was walking in Seabank Way at about 8.

Police were last night continuing to investigate a mugging at King's Lynn, which left a frail 82-year-old woman with a fractured hip.

A youth on a bicycle rode up behind Gwendoline Joyce as she was walking in Seabank Way at about 8.45am on Sunday, knocking her over and snatching her bag.

Mrs Joyce also suffered bruising and grazing to her arms in the incident and was yesterday waiting for hip surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Lynn.

The mugger, thought to have been wearing a beige hooded top, escaped with a substantial amount of cash, which was in a purse in the pensioner's bag.

Detectives, who have described the attack as "despicable", are keen to speak to witnesses, especially a man who helped Mrs Joyce as she lay on the ground, and a group of girls seen in Seabank Way at the time.

They also want to trace a man with a young child in a pushchair, who called for an ambulance.

Mrs Joyce's daughter-in-law, Colleen Joyce, of Downham Market, said her mother-in-law was in "good fettle, despite her ordeal, and was being very well looked after in hospital".

Anyone with information should contact Det Con Richard Moden at Lynn CID on 0845 456 4567 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.