Appeal on mugging death pensioner

A post-mortem examination is to take place following the death of a pensioner who fell and hit her head when muggers snatched her handbag, as police appealed for information.

The 85-year-old woman was set upon by thieves in an alleyway in Greenford, west London, at 1.50pm on Monday.

Officers called to Oldfield Lane South found the woman hurt but still conscious.

She was rushed to hospital but died in the early hours of Tuesday. Her family has been told but she has yet to be formally identified.

Police believe two black men dressed in dark clothes sneaked up behind the woman and stole her bag, causing her to fall.

They ran off in the direction of Farm Dale Crescent with the handbag, which was later recovered.

Detectives are treating her death as murder and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Russell Taylor said: "We are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen the sequence of events which will have occurred in a potentially busy area of Greenford in daylight.

"We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have seen the victim or the suspects at the time."