A 70-YEAR-OLD woman was pulled to the floor and robbed in an alleyway next to a church.

The woman was near the United Reformed Church in Fisherton Street just before 11am on Thursday, when a man approached her.

The man pulled the woman to the floor and stole her handbag, before running off alongside the river towards Crane Street.

Detective Constable Ben Brewster, from Wiltshire Police, said the victim was "left feeling very frightened by what happened, but luckily she was not seriously injured".

A 31-year-old man from Salisbury and a 49-year-old woman from Devizes have been arrested in connection with the incident and released under investigation pending further enquiries.

Police described the man as white, in his late 20s or early 30s, and around 5ft 6ins tall, with stubble on his face.

He was wearing a brown hoody, light blue jeans, dark coloured trainers and some distinctive red or orange headphones.

The handbag has since been found with money missing from inside.

Officers are appealing for information from anyone who was in the area of Fisherton Street around the time of the incident, and who may have witnessed the robbery or seen the man pictured.

DC Brewster added: "We would also like to hear from anyone who recognises the man in the CCTV image and may have seen him earlier that day in and around Salisbury city centre."

Anyone with information can contact DC Brewster at Salisbury CID on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.