A COWARDLY thug who attacked an 89-year-old Ainsworth woman in her home robbed her of her most precious asset: her independence.

Following her ordeal, Miss Margaret Chorlton will be unable to return to her home.

She is still recovering in Fairfield Hospital more than a week after sustaining head, arm and leg injuries in last week's serious assault. Some of the facial bruises are still visible.

Speaking from her hospital bed on Monday (April 29), the former barrister told how she was confronted by a man after answering a knock at the door.

"He kept on asking 'where's the money? where's the money?' and he hit me once," she said.

"He then went upstairs into a bedroom and turned up the rug, obviously looking for money. But I only had about £8 in the house. I'm very security conscious and consider that money ought to be kept in the bank.

"After I recovered from being attacked, I walked to a nearby school in my stocking feet and they called the police."

Miss Chorlton, who studied law at Oxford before working in the legal profession in the Manchester area, now accepts she will no longer be able to return to her four-room terraced house which she shares with her two pet cats.

Commenting on the incident, she added: "I was very angry. I think this man wanted his dinner money and had knocked on quite a few other doors. People like that are cowardly."

She acknowledged that the thug was probably similar to many of those she had defended in court during her days as a barrister.

Asked what she wanted to happen to the burglar, should he be caught and tried, Miss Chorlton said: "They ought to make an example of him. If not, he could try it on again."

Police say the thug stole the pensioner's handbag containing loose change.

Officers have disclosed that shortly before the attack, two men were seen waiting in Ainsworth park.

Detective Constable Dave Thorpe said: "The following day, a young man turned up at the bowling green near the Duke William pub, saying he was looking for property his relative had apparently lost."

He said he could not rule out the possibility that he was the pensioner's attacker.

The thug is described as white, in his mid 30s with dark, curly hair and wearing dark clothing.

Anyone with information should contact Whitefield CID on 856 8240.