A TEN-YEAR-OLD girl was grabbed and assaulted by a taxi driver as she was running home from Blackpool town centre with her brother.

A taxi pulled up alongside the girl at the junction of Lytham Road and Lonsdale Road, Blackpool, at 8.35pm on Thursday, July 26.

The driver got out and took hold of the youngster, shaking her and shouting at her, and bruising her left arm.

Her brother ran home to get help and her parents came out. The girl was on the floor screaming and crying, the taxi driver let her go and then another man appeared and said the girl had taken a purse.

The girl's mother searched both children and no purse was found. The taxi driver then got back in his taxi and, despite an attempt by the girl's father to restrain him, he drove off.

The man was described as white, 5ft 6in tall, of medium build, with short, brown hair. He was wearing a polo shirt with yellow, red and black horizontal lines and blue jeans. His taxi was described as a blue London cab with two white lines down the front of the bonnet.

A pensioner was knocked to the ground when two thieves stole her handbag. The 70-year-old was walking along Central Drive, Blackpool, on Wednesday, August 8, at 11.30pm when she was approached from behind. One of the thieves pulled her bag, making her fall, before both thieves ran off. The woman's husband chased the thieves for a short distance but they got away. The bag contained a number of items including cash and glasses.

A thief was disturbed by an elderly couple as he burgled their Bela Grove home in Blackpool on Wednesday, August 8, at 12.15pm. He searched the house and stole a black leather purse containing cash, before hiding behind the living room door when the 73-year-old man and his wife returned home.

After a couple of minutes the burglar walked out of the front room and ran past the woman who was helping her husband into a wheelchair. The wheelchair was partially blocking the open front door and, as the thief pushed past it, he put his hand or fist into the man's face before making off towards Bloomfield Road.

The offender was described as white, aged 20-30, around 5ft 4in tall. He had very dark brown hair, and was wearing light coloured shorts and a blue anorak which was light blue at the top and dark blue at the bottom.

A THIEF on a dark coloured push bike snatched a 73-year-old woman's purse at the junction of Palatine Road and Park Road, Blackpool, at 1.30pm on Thursday, August 9.

The woman and her husband had just finished shopping at a local store when the thief approached them from behind, stole the purse and cycled off towards the town centre. He was chased by members of the public but managed to escape.

He was described as white, with dark, collar-length hair and he was wearing a light brown jacket.

Anyone with information on the above crimes can phone Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.