A pensioner has been blinded in one eye during a vicious street robbery.

Thelma Nudd lost the sight in her right eye as well as suffering a deep gash across her face, a broken thumb and a fractured cheekbone when she was attacked from behind in Lymington.

The 83-year-old had been walking along a footpath off Avenue Road when the attacker hit her over the back of the head, knocking her to the floor and leaving her unconscious.

The attacker then made off with her bag, which contained her purse, keys and chequebook.

Now Thelma's husband Reg has made an emotional appeal to the public to help catch his wife's attacker.

He said: "There might be a chance that someone knows who did it.

"I would urge anyone who knows anything at all to please go to the police so they can catch the person who did this."

The 84-year-old had been sitting at home when he heard the shocking news that his wife of 57 years had been attacked on Tuesday afternoon, January 8.

He said: "Thelma had been hit from behind with a blunt instrument across the side of her head which had knocked her unconscious.

"She had fallen to the floor and in the process broke a bone in her left thumb.

"Some kind passers-by picked Thelma up and phoned for an ambulance and called the police.

"When I arrived at Southampton General Hospital I was shocked at what I saw. Thelma was lying there, her head covered in blood, face badly bruised. It was very distressing to see her like that.

"She could barely talk, and she could barely hear me. The eye surgeon came to have a word with her and said her right eye had been badly damaged and he would do what he could but he couldn't guarantee he could save it.

"We have since been told that Thelma will never be able to see out of it again. Thelma is incredibly upset - in fact we have both been badly shaken."

Reg, who moved with Thelma to the area in 1985, said he was shocked the attack had taken place in Lymington.

"It's not the sort of thing you expect to happen in a place like Lymington," he said.

"I always thought it was a quiet, peaceful town. I can't see Thelma going out on her own in the future, and I'm not sure I would want her to anyway."

Detective Inspector Lloyd Tobin, of New Forest CID, said: "This is an extremely nasty incident involving a vulnerable member of the community. This is very rare occurrence in Lymington, a usually quiet and peaceful area."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Lyndhurst CID on 0845 045 4545, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.