A woman had a knife held to her throat while a robber tried to steal her bag.

The robbery happened in an alleyway between Church Road and Tamworth Place, Croydon on January, 19 at about 1.50pm.

The woman, in her 30s, was walking alone when she heard heavy steps behind her. A man grabbed her waist and put his arm around her neck.  The woman felt something cold against her neck that she believed to be a knife, but she did not see any weapon.

He demanded her bag before a bypasser shouted out and scared him off. As the man fled the woman felt a sharp pain to her neck and noticed she had been cut.  DC Matt Day of Croydon CID said: “This must have been a terrifying ordeal for this woman walking alone in the middle of the day.  On this occasion the suspect made off without taking anything thanks to the voice of a member of the public.  I am very keen to trace this individual who may have saved this lady from a prolonged ordeal.  I am also appealing for any witnesses who may have been in this area at this time and may have seen something suspicious.”

The suspect is 6ft with a deep voice wearing a black hoodie top and black jeans.

Anyone with information should call Croydon CID on 0208 6491336 or anonymously on Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.