AN elderly woman was robbed as she knelt to tend her husband's grave in a Bolton churchyard.

The 79-year-old widow was on her knees at the graveside at Christ Church, Stitch-mi-Lane, Harwood, when the thief crept up behind her and grabbed her handbag.

Today, as the pensioner was recovering with relatives, a senior detective condemned the thief as "despicable and cowardly".

Extra police officers have been drafted into the Harwood area to track down the sneak thief.

The man, believed to be in his 30s, struck as the woman was tidying the flowers on her husband's grave at 12.50pm on Thursday.

He is believed to have used gravestones as cover as he crept up behind the woman. He then grabbed the handbag, which contained a purse, from the ground alongside the woman.

The thief ran off in the direction of Stitch-mi-Lane as the pensioner struggled to her feet.

Police say the man is white, 5ft 8in tall, stocky build, with short, dark hair. He was wearing a cream jumper and glasses.

The woman was not injured, but was treated by ambulance paramedics in the churchyard before they took her home.

The man leading the hunt, Det Sgt Nigel Dickenson, of Bolton CID today said: "We are horrified by the circumstances of this incident.

"The man preyed on an elderly lady who was spending time at the grave of her husband.

"This despicable and cowardly act happened at lunchtime in the churchyard of a popular and well attended church serving the Harwood and surrounding communities.

"It is overlooked by an infants school.

"The lady was left extremely shocked by the ordeal which may have a long lasting effect upon her.

"We need to catch this man as soon as possible and additional police resources have been deployed in the area.

"We are hopeful that the public will be able to help us and would ask anyone who was in the area yesterday to think about whether they may have seen any person acting suspiciously."

Anyone who can help is asked to contact Bolton CID, tel: 0161 856 5706 or Crimestoppers anonymously on free phone 0800 555 111.