A 59-YEAR-OLD woman was left shaken after her handbag was snatched by a man riding past on a bicycle.

The Nelson voluntary worker was walking to her car parked at the rear of Oak Street, Nelson, near to Scotland Road, when the thief struck.

Police said as she got to her car, a man riding a pedal cycle snatched the bag from her arm and rode off.

The woman watched him escape down Fleet Street at around 4.10pm on Monday.

The black leather bag contained a cheque book, a Motorola mobile phone, and various other items.

Brent Fielden, Street Crime Co-ordinator, said: "The woman does a lot of voluntary work in the community and has been left deeply shaken and shocked by the incident."

The cyclist is described as between 20 and 30 years old, between 5ft 6ins and 5ft 10ins tall, and of medium build. He was wearing a dark jacket, with a scarf or hood over his head, and was riding a dark coloured bike.

Anybody with any information about the incident should contact Brent on 01282 472159, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.