A pensioner has been robbed of her handbag after being assaulted by a young woman in Ayrshire.

The 94-year-old had just left Windmill Amusements in Saltcoats town centre when she was approached by the "abhorrent individual" who pushed her to the ground.

The victim had been making her way to a relatives house at around 11.40am on Tuesday when the "despicable" incident took place.

She was walking along Chapelwell Street when she was attacked by the woman, who was not known to her, as she went to enter the grounds of the Heritage Centre in Manse Street.

After pushing the elderly victim to the ground the woman made off with her hand bag in the direction of the town centre.

Members of the public came to the assistance of the pensioner who was taken by ambulance to Crosshouse Hospital to be checked over.

The suspect is described as around 20-years-old with a slim build and dark hair.

At the time of the incident the was wearing dark coloured clothing.

Detective Sergeant Martin Prendergast from Saltcoats CID said: "The elderly woman travels from Glasgow several times a week to help a relative who lives in Saltcoats and for her to be targeted in this way is absolutely despicable.

"This abhorrent individual must be caught and I would appeal to anyone who was in the vicinity of Chapelwell Street and the Heritage Centre and may have noticed a woman matching the above description, or anything at all suspicious, to please get in touch."