AN elderly widow has been robbed as she visited her husband's grave at a Hampshire cemetery.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a 79-year-old woman was attacked as she visited her husband’s grave at Petersfield Cemetery.

A man approached the woman as she was in the cemetery at Rams Hill at around 12.45pm on Sunday, November 15.

He asked her for some change but she told him she didn’t have any.

The robber then tried to grab her purse and hit her hand to try and make her let go but she held on.

He did however manage to snatch £15 from the purse before running off towards Rams Hill.

The man is described white, aged around 30 and about 5ft 6 inches tall. He was very thin with a pale complexion and wearing a dark blue or black knee length coat with a hood that was up.

The victim was left very shaken by the incident.

She had gone to the graveyard to place fresh flowers on her husband’s grave.

Detective Constable Simon Poulter said: “It’s hard to believe someone would stoop so low as to rob someone as they were visiting their loved one’s grave.

"I would appeal for anyone who was in the area round the time of this robbery and saw anything or anyone suspicious to get in touch with me at the Northern Investigation team at Basingstoke police station on 101."

They can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."

DC Poulter added: “I would also ask the man who did this to take a very long hard look at himself and to show some genuine remorse for what he has done by giving himself up.

"It will be much better for him than waiting for us to come and arrest him.”