A stallholder chased a thief who had just snatched a purse from an elderly shopper.

The victim, in her 70s, was at a card stall at Epping Market in High Street when a woman, believed to be in her 40s, grabbed the purse from her trolley at around 10.30am on Monday.

Trevor Day, 51, who runs a toiletries stall near to where the incident took place, pursued the woman across the street to Star Lane where she dropped the purse and he was able to grab hold of her.

He said: “Someone shouted ‘Thief! Someone’s stolen a bag!’ then I saw the woman going across the road with the purse in her hand so I went after her.”

Mr Day released the woman after a man, believed to be her accomplice, had come across the street to join her and they both left the scene in different directions.

The purse was returned to the owner, who was then taken into Whiskers Solicitors where she was comforted.

Jenny Mackaill, a receptionist at the solicitors, said: “She was in here for about an hour. She was very shaken up."

One of the solicitors took details from the woman before she left to return to her home, believed to be in Ongar.

The suspected thief and her partner are described as white and thin with a scruffy appearance and English accents.

The woman is described as being small with dark hair and the man has greyish blonde hair and is around 5ft 9ins.

The incident was reported to police at 2.25pm.