An elderly woman has been seriously injured after being attacked with her own dog lead in the doorway of her home.

Catherine Smith, 82, was out on her mobility scooter walking her dog in the Palace Road Nature Gardens in Lambeth, south London, when she first saw the suspected attacker on 27 July.

She then left the gardens and saw the woman again, now sitting on a wall outside her home.

The woman repeatedly asked "where's Tracey" and kept asking for money.

Ms Smith told the woman she did not know anyone named Tracey and went inside and closed the door.


The woman then rang the doorbell asking if she could use the toilet, and when Ms Smith said no, the woman forcefully pushed open the door causing Ms Smith to fall backwards and hit her head.

The woman then grabbed Ms Smith's dog lead and started to strangle her with it before running off in an unknown direction.

Ms Smith called out for help and members of the public rushed to find her covered in blood.

Lambeth CID detective constable Vicky Vincent, said: "This was a vicious unprovoked attack on an elderly vulnerable woman's own doorstep.

"The attack has left her very distressed."

Ms Smith was taken to hospital and treated for her injuries and has since been discharged.

The suspect is described as a white woman, about 5ft 5, slim, with slicked back black hair.

She was wearing a khaki zipped coat, multi-coloured trainers and tights.

Anyone with information or any witnesses should contact Lambeth CID on 07785 774447, 101 or Tweet @MetCC.

Information can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org