A BRAVE 90-year-old suffered a head wound as she tried to fight off an attacker in her home.

The woman was pushed to the floor and her head was split open, as the raider escaped with a handful of coins.

The pensioner, who has asked not to be named, spoke about her ordeal today as she recovered at her home in Pheasantford Green in the Duke Bar area of Burnley.

The crook, aged around 20, first approached the woman in Pheasantford Street and demanded money.

She said: "I have been mugged four times now over the years and I just did not want him stealing my property. He wanted money. I told him I only had what was in my purse and he said that wasn't much."

The robber followed the woman to her home where she shut herself in. A short time later she heard a knock on the door and thinking it was a neighbour opened the front door.

The robber pushed past her and snatched her purse. But the woman was determined not to give in grabbed it back and put it away in the kitchen.

When she saw him stealing property from a sideboard in the lounge she again tackled him but was pushed to the floor and injured.

She said: "I was just fighting with him.

"I am 90 but age is just a question of mind. I was not going to let him get away with it."

Det Sgt Dave Fleming said: "She is a remarkable old lady and obviously robust for her age. When she struggled with him he pushed her back into the hallway causing her to fall over backwards causing a cut to her head, which was later treated at the hospital."

The attacker escaped with a small silver tray and about £20 in £1 and 20p pieces.

He is white, 20, 5ft 10ins with dark hair. He was wearing dark clothing.

The incident happened at 12.50pm yesterday. Police are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious to contact DC Mark Zebrowski at Burnley CID 01282 472142.