A PURSE snatcher befriended a 90-year-old woman before robbing her in the street as she fed a stray cat.

Warrington Crown Court heard on Friday that the pensioner was shocked, scared and confused' after Sara Hall, of no fixed abode, robbed the woman near a scrap yard in April this year.

Judge Roger Dutton was told that the pensioner left her house at 8.20am to go to feed a stray cat which she often sees. The trip takes her through the Sainsburys' car park on Church Street.

She stopped on a wall to have a rest, and about 15 minutes later, she was approached by the defendant who sat next to her and they began a conversation.

Shortly afterwards, the elderly victim got up to cross the street and head towards the scrap yard and when she arrived she crouched down and pushed some food through the railings for the animal before it approached her.

Hall then appeared behind her and held her down by her shoulder before searching her coat and removing her keys and purse containing around £50.

When the pensioner called out that she needed the keys to get home, her attacker then paused and threw the keys towards her before running away.

In the 30-year-old's defence, the court was told that since the incident she has taken great steps to try to change the direction of her life and she had not intended to injure her victim.

Judge Dutton said: "You should be thoroughly ashamed of what you have done, taking advantage of an old lady in this way is despicable."

She was sentenced to a community order of two years.