A teenage thief picked on the wrong victim when she tried to run off with a bag belonging to pensioner Jean Hirst - a former championship sprinter.

The schoolgirl was surprised to discover her victim, a former All England Schools championship sprinter, still had a turn of pace - at the age of 72. As Mrs Hirst gave chase, she soon began to close on the culprit who was forced to throw down the bag in her desperation to escape. The retired teacher had allowed three teenage girls into her car to help her with directions after getting lost on the way to a theatre. She was straight out of the starting blocks again, however, when one of them took advantage and tried to make off with her bag.