An elderly woman had £1,000 stolen from her hand bag as she browsed shops in Watford High Street today.

The 76-year-old, from Bricket Wood, had taken the money out of her bank in order to buy a new mattress.

However, before she could get to the furniture shop the money, contained in a white envelope, was taken from her bag.

Her partner of 20 years, who asked not to be named, said: “She had walked on ahead of me and went into Poundland, which was very crowded.

“She's got a very bad habit of leaving the zip undone so someone would have seen the envelope and the money and whipped it out.

“She sat down to have a rest and when she checked the money was there it had gone. She's been crying and really upset about it.

“She's a OAP, she's worked hard all her life and £1,000 is a lot of money to her.”

Hertfordshire police said the money went missing between 12-1pm today, and officers would be studying CCTV to find who took it.

Did you witness the theft? Telephone the police on 0845 33 00 222 quoting crime number C1/11/2496.