What is the world coming to when a woman like elderly widow Mary Speed is the victim of girl mugger aged 11?

AT the age of 78, widow Mary Speed has become another mugging statistic.

She was walking in a York street when the robber pounced and stole her bag.

What made the attack more shocking was that her attacker was a girl aged ELEVEN.

And the same girl is believed to have robbed another elderly woman who was having to undego surgery at York Hospital today.

Which may lead you to ask: WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO?

AN elderly widow who was robbed in a York street by a teenage girl has said she will not let the terrifying ordeal change her life - and she praised the "God-given angel" who rushed to her aid.

City police believe that former district nurse Mary Speed, 78, was the second elderly victim of the same young robber, thought to be a girl aged about 11, who struck in Grosvenor Terrace, near Bootham, at 9.20am yesterday.

She then went on to attack Mrs Speed outside St Luke's Church, Shipton Street, some twenty minutes later.

The robber's first victim, also a 78-year-old woman, seriously injured her leg and wrist during the incident and was today due to undergo surgery at York Hospital.

Angina sufferer Mrs Speed injured her left shoulder when her bag was wrenched from her arm as she walked along the street, just moments after leaving the hairdresser.

She said: "I didn't hear anybody coming.

"All of a sudden my bag was flying off - I didn't even see a hand take it.

"This little creature was running off - I've never seen anybody run so fast - towards St Luke's Church.

"When I got to the corner I shouted to a man sitting on the bench, and he said he had seen a girl running.

"He just left everything and ran after her.

He went charging down and I saw him lift my bag out of a bin.

"There was just a bit of money missing.

"He said he was from Portugal and would soon be studying in the city. I gave him a really big hug.

"I want to meet him again, I said he was my God-given angel."

Mrs Speed, who has lived in York since she was 15, said she had become increasingly wary of youngsters in the Clifton area.

She said: "I probably won't walk that way again, but it won't stop me going out."

Police are currently trying to trace witnesses to both incidents, particularly a cyclist who witnessed the first attack, jumped off his bike and chased the robber, retrieving the victim's bag in the process. They are also hoping to speak to the Portugese student.

DC Pete Bentall said the attacker had blondish hair, possibly with a plait and a piercing in her nose or her lip. Witnesses say she was aged in her early to mid teens.

Anyone with information should phone York CID on 01904 631321.

Updated: 09:14 Saturday, September 11, 2004