A brave pensioner scared off a man who attempted to snatch her handbag from her car while it was parked outside a Telford supermarket.

Police are linking the attempted bag snatch on Saturday at about 2.30pm at Tesco on the Wrekin Retail Park, Arleston, to a similar incident this month.

In the latest incident, the 61-year-old victim was in her car after shopping, when she was approached by a woman in her late 30s.

She was Asian in appearance, of medium build and had dark hair.

The woman showed the pensioner a map and asked her for directions to several locations. Suddenly the victim heard movement on the passenger’s side of her vehicle and when she turned she saw her handbag being snatched off the seat.

She quickly got out of the vehicle and saw an unknown man, who appeared to be Eastern European, aged in his 40s and of large build – making off from her car.

She noticed her handbag and its contents dropped on the ground next to her car and she believes she scared off the man, causing him to drop the bag.

The attempted theft is a replica of an incident at the same store car park on January 11 when more than £250 was taken from the bank account of another pensioner after her purse was stolen.

Chris Ammonds, of Telford Police, said: “This is the second incident of this nature that has been reported to police in recent weeks and both have occurred on the Wrekin Retail Park.

“Officers in Telford are also aware that incidents like this have been on the increase across West Mercia and in neighbouring force areas and people are reminded that they should remain alert at all times.”

Information to police in Telford on 0300 3333000.