A PICKPOCKET stole a 79-year-old woman’s purse containing treasured family photographs in broad daylight in Farnham town centre on Monday.

Irene Jones was chatting to a friend on the pavement by the crossing outside Poundland when she felt someone brush past her. Moments later she noticed her bag was open and her purse was missing.

The purse contained about £50, all of Irene’s bank cards and her bus and train passes - but most distressing was the loss of numerous precious photos of her grandchildren when they were babies.

She told The Herald: “I had so much in there. I don’t mind losing the money but it’s all the little things, my purse was my everything. I wasn’t mugged or hurt, so I think myself lucky, but it shakes you up.

“When I go up to London, I’m ultra careful - but you don’t expect something like that to happen in Farnham. You feel safe standing and talking to people, but you’ve just got to be so aware.”

Adding to her distress, Irene’s purse also contained a medical alert card containing her name and address. As a result the police have urged her not to open her door to anyone suspicious, and instead call 999.