Have-a-go-hero OAP recovers money

Vera Alexander said the thief made her "very angry"

An elderly have-a-go-hero has told of her ordeal after recovering some of the money a thief stole while she was working at a venue in Edinburgh.

Vera Alexander, 81, was staffing the cloakroom at the Queen's Hall in Clerk Street on Monday when a man grabbed the cash from a container.

She told BBC Scotland's news website how she managed to shove the thief.

As the man tried to leave the building, the widow grabbed him again, and retrieved some of the notes.

Speaking from her home in Inverleith, she said: "I wasn't thinking, I just went for it. I opened the door of the cloakroom, grabbed him and said 'Give me back my money'.

He looked a strong guy and I had to look up at him as Im getting smaller with age but I was just too angry to be terrified of him Vera Alexander Have-a-go-hero

"He looked at me like I was daft and I then took the money out of the back of his shirt where he had stuffed it.

"He looked a strong guy and I had to look up at him as I'm getting smaller with age, but I was just too angry to be terrified of him.

"I was breathless afterwards so I took my inhaler and then my bosses gave me a free taxi home, but I'm back in to work tonight."

Ruth Hay, Mrs Alexander's daughter said her mother has worked as a theatre steward for about 40 years.

The 53-year-old said: "I am very proud of my mum. She doesn't think she is 81 and is always hanging around with people younger than herself, so I wasn't surprised to hear she had stood up to this man.

"She has worked for years at The Queen's Hall and has become a bit of an icon there. She is very sprightly and doesn't suffer fools gladly."

'Very brave'

The thief headed off down South Clerk Street and into Montague Street after the incident at 1100 BST.

The man is white, between 25-30 years old, about 5ft 8ins tall, and of slim build.

He had short scruffy blond hair, and was wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt with dark trousers, and was carrying a red plastic bag.

A police spokeswoman said: "This woman has acted very bravely in trying to stop the thief getting away with any money.

"Although she was not hurt, the ordeal has left her understandably shaken.

"We would appeal for anyone who was in the area at the time, and who saw what happened, to contact police."