A YOUNG mum who was punched in the face by a mugger in Corsham is calling for CCTV cameras to be installed in the town centre.

The 21-year-old, who does not wish to be named, was attacked as she walked through the Martingate Centre just after 11pm on Monday. She had been drinking with friends at the Methuen Arms pub and was on her way to the taxi rank outside Somerfield when the man tried to steal her handbag.

The brave victim managed to hang on to her bag before her attacker punched her in the right eye and ran off in the direction of Pickwick Road.

Speaking exclusively to the Chippenham News, she told how she heard the man approaching her as she walked past Somerfield.

She said: "By the time I started walking faster he was grabbing hold of my bag, I think he came out from the graveyard area. He was putting up a fight, but he didn't seem that strong.

"I held onto my handbag because it contains photos of my daughter when she was born if it was just a purse I would've let it go. I was shouting at him and he hit me and then ran off."

The woman, who lives in Corsham with her partner and 10-week-old daughter, now says she will not walk alone in the town again.

Corsham is currently the only town in north Wiltshire not to have security cameras in operation.

The woman said: "They've spent all that money doing up the shopping centre, but there are no security cameras."

Police in the town are keen to get CCTV cameras set up, but bodies such as the town council have been reluctant to fund the project.

As well as having security cameras, Chippenham has a prominent night-time police presence and this is something the victim would like to see brought to Corsham.

She said: "Corsham is a small town but it still needs the same security. What if the person had been carrying a knife?"

The victim got a good look at her attacker and believes she may have seen him drinking in another Corsham pub. He is described as six feet tall, in his late 20s to early 30s, rough looking, skinny and wearing scruffy clothes with a ring through his right eyebrow.

Police spokesman Steve Coxhead said: "Our advice to victims in such situations is not to put yourself in physical danger."

Police are keen to speak to four people who were standing at a nearby bus stop at the time of the attack. Anyone with information should call PC Fuller on (01249) 712172.