A FRAIL pensioner was tipped out of bed, dragged by her ankles across the floor and punched in the face during an attack in her own home.

The terrified 85-year-old woman was pounced on as she slept in her home in Halliwell just after midnight yesterday.

A large police hunt is under way for the attacker.

The offender, who forced his way into her house through an unsecure window, tipped the woman's mattress up, throwing her to the floor.

Then he grabbed his victim by the ankles and demanded she hand over money.

His victim was punched in the face, suffering superficial cuts, before the raider escaped just after 12.05pm with a quantity of cash.

The woman was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital for emergency treatment but has since been discharged.

She was recovering at a relative's home this afternoon.

It is understood a man, who was walking his dog, heard the woman's screams and saw a man, aged between 20 and 22, leaving the scene.

The attacker has dark hair, around 5ft 7ins tall and spoke with a local accent.