LIKE a vigilante Mary Poppins, the victim of a would-be robber bravely fought off the thug with her brolly - and it was all captured on CCTV.

The robber stalked the woman through a rainy town centre street as she was walking home from a night out before striking as she approached a crossing.

He grabbed hold of the woman's handbag and tried to wrench it from her grip after sneaking up from behind.

But the coward had not reckoned on the woman's lightning quick reactions - or the force of the three blows she delivered to fend him off before he fled empty-handed down a side street.

The 52-year-old woman was shaken but not hurt in the incident, which happened in Railway Road, Leigh at 11pm on June 14.

Police have released dramatic CCTV footage of the victim's courageous actions in a bid to catch the crook. The man they are hunting is described as white, slim, clean-shaven, aged between 17 and 18 and with short black hair.

He was wearing dark jeans and hooded top, which may have had a circled pattern on it.

CCTV footage shows the woman being followed for about 200 yards before the thug pounces and he is then pictured making off along Rydal Street.

Officers are asking anyone who recognises the person shown in the footage or anyone with information about the incident to contact Wigan Police on 0161 856 7255 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.