Woman is punched in face by thief

A WOMAN was punched in the face by a mugger after fighting him off as he tried to steal her handbag.

The 59-year-old victim was walking along Warrender Park Road in Marchmont when she was approached by the suspect, who grabbed her bag.

She resisted and he struck her in the face, causing her to fall over.

A man and a woman who were in the area came to the victim's aid, and the suspect ran off empty-handed towards Marchmont Road following the incident at 10.30pm on Saturday.

He is described as white, between 16 and 20-years-old, with a slim build and was wearing a baseball cap.

A police spokesman said: "The victim has suffered heavy swelling to her eye and bruising, and we are appealing for any information that can help us trace the suspect. In particular, we want to trace the man and the woman who came to the victim's rescue."