A MAN who snatched a purse from a woman’s hand in Oswaldtwistle is being hunted by police.

The thief approached the woman on a bike as she was walking in Union Road and onto the car park of Moscow Hill Place, police said.

He escaped after grabbing the Radley purse, at around 11am on Wednesday.

A police spokesman said: “Incidents like this are extremely rare and, fortunately, the female was not injured.

“If you have any information regarding this incident, or have found a brown Radley purse, please call 101.

“We urged all members of the public to remain vigilant and to ensure valuables are secure and safe. Purse alarms are a fantastic way of alerting others in the event of a theft, and are very cheap.”

The man was described as approximately 30, with short, dark hair. He was wearing a dark quilted gilet-style jacket and dark trousers. He was also wearing glasses.