THE FAMILY of a 58-year-old woman from Thornbury who had her purse stolen whilst shopping in the town have appealed for help.

Sheila Mancey had been in the Card Factory on Thornbury High Street at around 11.30am today when she went to the counter, only to find her purse had vanished.

Her son, Grant Jones, said that his mum “has her life in her purse” and that it had contained a number of irreplaceable items including pictures of her grandchildren and coins given to her by her father when she was younger.

The only suspicious thing she claims to have remembered was a woman leaning over her to check a card before abruptly leaving the shop.

Anyone with information that could help are asked to call police on 101 and use the reference number 520804774.