AN 81-year-old woman has told how she fought off a would-be robber who tried to steal her handbag.

AN 81-year-old woman has told how she fought off a would-be robber who tried to steal her handbag.

Margaret Somerville was attacked at Paisley Canal Street railway station last July as she went to get a train to Glasgow. But she put up a fight and the robber, who was on a bike, escaped with only a set of keys.

Patrick Wallace, 32, was jailed for five years four months after admitting assault and attempted robbery.

Mrs Somerville was left hanging on to her bag even after she had been dragged to the ground.

She said: "He appeared out of nowhere. I seemed to react to him grabbing me. I swung round and hit him and kept pulling the bag. He was hanging on to the bag no matter what."

Passers-by heard screams and came to her aid and Wallace fled.

British Transport Police arrested him after he was identified from closed-circuit television footage.

He was charged with assaulting Mrs Somerville, attempting to seize her handbag, pulling her to the ground and robbing her of a set of keys.

The High Court in Aberdeen heard Wallace, whose address was given as Greenock Prison, was on a methadone prescription at the time and was also taking heroin.

He had 33 previous convictions.