A WOMAN who was mugged during the royal visit to Chippenham gave chase after the thief and recovered her handbag thanks to two good Samaritans.

Jillian Parsons had been out shopping for her 86-year-old mother and was keen to get home to look after her.

She was waiting for a bus to Derriads Lane at Chippenham bus station, less than half an hour before the Queen and Prince Philip arrived at the railway station on Friday.December 7.

"I'm not an anti-royalist but I was cold and I was worried about my elderly mother who depends on me a lot. I just wanted to get home with my shopping," said Mrs Parsons.

"I was waiting for the bus and had my handbag by me, when out of the blue someone grabbed it and disappeared round the corner.

"I hotfooted it after them. I didn't really think about it, but they took my handbag, so off I went."

The men ran into the gentleman's toilets behind the bus station and if it hadn't been for the swift actions of two young men who saw what had happened, Mrs Parsons might never have seen her bag again.

"Two very public-spirited men came to my aid. They must have seen what happened and moments later they came out of the toilets with my handbag and everything intact.

"I don't know who they were but I would really like to thank them."

She said she didn't know if she would give chase if the same thing happened to her again.

Mrs Parsons said it was refreshing to know that there were still some good-natured people in the world who were happy to help a stranger in need.

"It's nice to know there are still some good people around and not just the baddies.

"I'm most grateful to the young men. I did say thank you at the time but I was in shock and didn't know who they were."

A 17-year-old youth appeared before magistrates on Saturday charged with theft.

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