A COWARDLY mugger robbed two lone women as they tended graves in a cemetery.

Barbara Young told the Journal she was disgusted after witnessing a 66-year-old woman being mugged just a day after her brother claimed to have seen a similar incident in Tyldesley Cemetery.

Mrs Young, from Leigh, who was laying flowers on her father's grave at the time of the attack, off Hough Lane, said: " A youth just appeared and knocked this poor woman over as she was tending to a grave. He pushed her to the ground from behind and then ran off with her handbag. He was chased by passers by but managed to escape."

The attack, which took place at 3.15 pm on Sunday afternoon, happened on the first anniversary of the death of the victim's friend.

Mrs Young took the woman, who has not been named, back to her home in Heathfield Drive, Tyldesley, as she was too upset to drive. She was later taken to hospital in a very distressed state and treated for shock.

She said: "The poor woman was very badly shaken and deeply upset. It's disgusting that something like this could happen in a graveyard. I just hope they catch the person responsible."

Mrs Young said her brother had witnessed a similar incident the previous day, when he saw a youth sitting in a car belonging to a woman visiting a grave in the church yard.

Mrs Young said: "My brother told me he saw a lad acting suspiciously and ducking down behind some grave stones. He then saw the youth sitting in a car.

"He asked the woman if it was her car and when she said yes, he told her he had seen a male youth sitting in it. They rushed over and discovered her phone and purse had been taken. I am sure the two incidents must be linked."

A council spokesman said: "We always regret when incidents of this nature take place on council property, but members of the public must understand that cemeteries are particularly vulnerable to the activities of muggers and criminals of a like nature, so we ask the public to be vigilant when visiting graves in any cemetery or any public place alone."

Police, who only have details of the second attack, are now hunting for a white male, in his early 20s, with short, dark hair, who was wearing a red anorak and a black baseball cap.

Inspector Bill Dyke, of Leigh police operations unit, said: "Just how low can you get? I hope he is pleased with his day's work.

"This was a callous and cowardly attack on a vulnerable person. Somebody must know who this coward is. With your help, we can convict him and give him the punishment he deserves. If you can help, call Leigh CID on 0161 856 7352, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, and get him behind bars." SHATTERED SILENCE: Inset, the normally peaceful cemetery HEARTLESS: Police are probing the latest attack in which a woman was robbed while visiting a grave