Neighbours buy gran, 76, a holiday after she is mugged twice in two weeks

A grandmother who was mugged twice in two weeks is planning to go on holiday once she has recovered after neighbours rallied around her in support.

Anne Willis, 76, was robbed at knifepoint as she came home from the supermarket on June 10, with the robber making off with presents she had just bought for her grandchildren.

Then, 13 days later, the retired housewife was on her way back from church when she was attacked by someone who stole her handbag and left her with a broken shoulder.

Lee Davenport, 39, has since been arrested and charged with both attacks and will appear in Manchester Crown Court later this month.

In the wake of muggings, Anne’s horrified neighbours in Hazel Grove, Stockport, set up a fundraiser and have since raised more than £1,000 for her.

When she recovers, Anne plans to put the money towards a trip to Llandudno, Wales, but she has so far been too scared to leave her home.

The grandmother, who has been left with a painfully bruised arm, said: ‘I came to Hazel Grove in 1972 and I’ve never seen anything like this before – it’s so nice and peaceful here.

‘The fundraising was very kind and I might go on holiday when I’m better, to Llandudno.’

Anne’s brother David Carter, a retired process engineer who lives close to her, said he couldn’t believe his sister had been attacked twice.

David, 63, said: ‘It is unbelievable – she had a heart attack two years ago and she could have had another one.

‘Now I have my grandkids awake at night not wanting to go to school.

‘They can’t understand how anybody would do this to Auntie Anne, she is like a grandmother to them.’

He added: ‘If there’s any money left over from the fundraiser I’m going to put in on improving security.

‘I have lived in this area all of my life, nothing like this has been happened before.’

If you want to donate to Anne’s GoFundMe appeal, please click here.