An independent 101-year-old woman who was violently mugged outside her home has said she is now "afraid" and called her attacker a "wicked man".

Alexteen Roberts was followed on her way back from a prayer meeting and pushed to the ground, punched in the ribs, then had her handbag with £300 inside stolen.

The suspect pretended he was a council worker, saying he was there to fix her electrics before the assault in Tottenham, north London, on August 23.

Grandson Ashley Aitcheson, 31, who was inside the house, said he heard his grandmother shouting in "distress" at around 5pm and raced out in his boxer shorts and bare feet.

He managed to punch the robber and break his aviator sunglasses during the chase but said he "knew all the little side streets" and managed to get away.

Mrs Roberts, whose 101st birthday was on Wednesday, said: "I'm a bit shaky. When I'm coming in the house now I'm afraid because of this wicked man."

Grand-daughter Jacqueline McIntosh said she has complained to police because she feels the investigation has not progressed and was told by a detective the case had "slipped through the net".

She said the family now have to take shifts to be in the house with her grandmother as "being attacked like that changes things".

She said Mrs Roberts did her own shopping and travelled around the city herself, adding: "She's become a bit unsteady now. A lot of other old people live in this area and they have become concerned."

Mrs Roberts was taken to hospital as a precaution and escaped serious injury but suffered bruised ribs. Mr Aitcheson said the man looked like "a drunk" was white, around 35, with baggy clothes and a beard.

He added that the attacker was fiddling with his belt "like he had a weapon" and dropped a car key which was passed on to police. Mrs Roberts is a Seventh-day Adventist and had been at her church on Holloway Road, Islington.

Detective Chief Inspector Luke Marks said: "This was a despicable attack on a very elderly lady who lived independently and is now fearful to return home.

"She is naturally extremely distressed and shaken by what happened and we are appealing for help to catch his man before he targets someone else."