SHOPKEEPERS and licensees in Burnley town centre have rallied round to organise a giant raffle after hearing about the ordeal of an 80-year-old woman who was mugged for £10 last week.

Landladies at the White Lion pub and Yates Wine Lodge decided to hold a giant fundraising evening on Saturday to let pensioner Mabel Sutcliffe know they were thinking of her.

Mrs Sutcliffe smashed her face on the pavement after being knocked over and having her bag snatched in Back Briercliffe Road, Burnley.

The incident happened at 11.55am on Friday, July 5 and a substantial reward has been offered for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the offender.

Staff at the two pubs have been collecting donated items from many shops in the town centre since Friday and raffle tickets will be sold in both pubs from 8pm this Saturday.

A draw for the large collection of prizes will be made later the same evening.

Maggie Prince, landlady of the White Lion pub, said: "Nearly everyone in the town centre has donated something. We have had a big response. We will be selling raffle tickets in both pubs and we will also have collection buckets on the door.

"I think it's disgusting what has happened to her and to think of something like that going on in your own town. She's an elderly lady and has a disabled husband."

Police are continuing their inquiries in to the robbery.

DS Derek Jones, who heads a new street theft and robbery unit at Pennine Division, said: "We have had a handful of calls from people who have seen something but we are still following lines of inquiry in relation to this. Nobody has been arrested yet."

They are also investigating an attack on a 72-year-old woman in Waterbarn Street on Friday who was threatened with a knife but it is not known if the two are related.

The elderly woman was pushed to the floor by a man wielding a knife as she walked home.

DS Jones said: "We want to warn elderly people to be on their guard when they are out and about. There are one or two offenders about who do seem to be targeting elderly people so if they can just be aware of who is around them."

By NICOLA MOTT