Pensioner in hospital after mugger strikes in danger underpass

AN elderly woman suffered a broken pelvis and elbow after being robbed by a man in a city underpass which is a notorious mugging hotspot.

The 77-year-old victim was walking through the Calder Road underpass in Sighthill when the suspect grabbed her handbag.

The pensioner was knocked to the ground and left screaming in agony while her attacker fled down Sighthill Wynd.

It was the sixth mugging in one of the four Calder Road underpasses in the last four months.

A woman who heard the elderly woman's screams following the incident at 3.15pm on Saturday called an ambulance and the victim was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. She is still in hospital where she is awaiting an operation.

A man who walked through the underpass after the incident followed in the direction of the suspect, and found him discarding items from the bag in Sighthill Wynd with another two men. Most of the contents of the bag have been recovered, minus cash.

Two middle-aged women, one of whom was wearing a red top, were seen walking in the area at the time of the attack. Detectives are keen to trace them, as they may be able to provide more information regarding the incident.

The suspect is described as being, white, around 6ft tall, late teens to early 20s, with short dark hair. He was wearing blue jeans and a distinctive dark blue top, which has a continuous light blue band running from over his left shoulder to under his right arm.

A police spokeswoman said: "This has been a terrifying experience for the lady involved, and it's important anyone with any information about the incident comes forward. In particular we would like to trace two women, one of whom was wearing a red top, who are known to have been in the area at the time, and would urge them to contact us as soon as possible.

"Alternatively, if anyone recognises the description of the suspect, we would be keen to hear from them."

In April, a gang of muggers held a knife to the throat of a 28-year-old pregnant mother in front of her two young children in a robbery at the underpass between Calder Road and Longstone Road.

The underpasses under Calder Road include those to Sighthill Shopping Centre, Broomhouse Road and Wester Hailes Road, leading to Stevenson College.