Burglar flees walking stick woman

A woman in her 80s forced a burglar to flee empty-handed by striking him over the head with her walking stick.

The man called at her home in Archery Close, Ely, Cambridgeshire, between 2100 and 2130 BST on Monday, claiming to be from the police.

He forced his way in and began searching through her belongings, but he was forced to flee when the woman attacked him with her walking stick.

At one stage he tried to grab her but she began screaming and he fled.

Det Con Stephen Day said: "This is a particularly nasty attack on a vulnerable elderly lady.

"The force used by the man during the incident has left her with minor injuries and shaken by her ordeal.

"I would appeal to anyone who was in the Archery Close area of the city to call if they remember seeing a man hanging around at the time of the incident."

The man was described as white, aged 20 to 25 and between 5ft 6in and 5ft 8in tall. He was clean-shaven and wore a peaked cap.