THE son of an East Lancashire widow attacked by a knife-wielding gang while in South Africa for her granddaughter's wedding today spoke of his horror at news of the assault.

And Donald Strachan said all mum Kathleen wanted to do now was to return to her home in Colne.

Mrs Strachan, 72, was assaulted as she walked to a railway station in Kraaifontein, 25 miles from the capital Cape Town, with her daughter Lynn Daley.

She was today recovering in hospital with a broken shoulder and facial injuries.

Mrs Strachan was pushed to the floor by a gang of six or seven youths but was unable to break her fall because she suffers congenital paralysis in her arms.

The thugs stole a watch, necklace, a purse containing £1,000 and her passport.

Donald, 36, a school support assistant, said: "This is such a terrible thing to have happened and it is so frustrating not being able to be there with her and look after her. It sounds like a terrible thing to say but if this had to happen anywhere it would have been better over here then I would be able to be there for her.

"Hopefully it won't be too long before the doctors tell her she is OK to leave hospital because she told me that all she wants to do now is come home.

"This must have been such an ordeal to go through, especially as she wouldn't have been able to defend herself. To think that these people could pick on such a defenceless old lady is sickening."

He added: "Even though my mum was disabled she would not hesitate to help other people whenever she could, she has a heart of gold."

Mrs Strachan, who organises the annual poppy collections for the Royal British Legion in Nelson, had planned to return home next Friday after attending her granddaughter Amanda Oliver's wedding, but may now be home in the next few days.