Man, 92, mugged on way to dance

A 92-year-old man heading to Oldham for a ballroom dancing session was mugged by a thug posing as a good samaritan.

The crook pretended to be helping the elderly victim to catch a bus but instead lured him to an isolated alleyway, pushed him to the floor and stole his wallet.

The pensioner, from Stoke, had travelled to Manchester city centre and was catching a connecting bus to meet his ballroom dance partner in Oldham. He arrived at Chorlton Street bus station between 10.40am-11am on Tuesday and walked to Lever Street to get a bus to Oldham.

The offender said he knew another stop for an Oldham bus and got the victim to follow him. When they got to Back Piccadilly the robber demanded the elderly man’s wallet. Fortunately, the victim wasn’t seriously injured by the push to the ground.

The offender is white, of medium build, about 30 and was wearing a waterproof jacket. The slight, 5ft 3in victim was wearing a flat cap and black jacket and pulling a shopping basket.

PC Colin Ridgway of the volume crime team, said: “This is a desperate act and I appeal to anyone in the area at the time who saw the two together, or the offender at any point, to call me.”

Call the team on 0161-856 3913, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800-555 111.