A WOMAN was knocked to the ground and had her handbag stolen by a robber who struck in York.

The victim was walking along Wigginton Road, near to the main entrance to the Nestl site, when she was approached by a man who knocked her down.

After what police described as a brief struggle, the man ran off with the victim's handbag.

The robber was described as white and aged in his early twenties. He was wearing a dark-coloured woolly hat and dark clothing.

The woman was left shocked but uninjured after the incident, which happened at about 6.10pm yesterday.

Meanwhile, a robber armed with a knife targeted a female student at the University of York's campus in Heslington.

The student was walking from the physics laboratories to the campus when the youth confronted her and demanded she hand over her bag. She refused and the knifeman ran off.

He was described as white, aged about 16, 5ft 6ins tall, slim with acne around his chin. He was wearing dark baggy jeans, a dark baseball cap and a long-sleeved, dark green sweatshirt with a white T-shirt over the top. He also had a silver chain looped from the front to the back of his jeans.

The incident happened at about 9.15 last night.

Anyone with information about either incident should call police in York on 01904 631321.

Updated: 15:47 Wednesday, March 06, 2002