Pensioner left badly bruised by robbers thanks public for support
Local people were horrified when police issued images of Ida Brown’s injuries, leading to an outpouring of help.
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A pensioner with leukaemia who was left with horrific bruises when two thieves tried to steal her disability scooter has thanked her community for rallying round to help her.
Ida Brown, 79, has been showered with gifts, flowers and messages of support and given hot meals after she was attacked by the men outside her back door in Dunston, Gateshead.
After Northumbria Police released horrific pictures of the bruising to her face, there was a public outcry and offers of help flooded in.
Ms Brown, who lives with her cats Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, did not sustain any long-term injuries but she has felt too scared to leave her home since the attack at 5.30am on February 28.
She has had security lights and a new CCTV system installed, is having daily hot meals delivered free of charge and will receive more than £5,000 through a GoFundMe page set up by the community.
Local volunteer group Dunston Help For Families has also arranged for a shed to be built outside her home that can house her mobility scooter and deter thieves.
She said: “Everyone has been so good, I’ve had people knocking on my door every day to ask if I’m okay and people have been bringing me food and flowers.
“I have had old colleagues I haven’t seen in years sending me flowers, people have been doing my shopping and bringing me food.
“I’m not used to being on TV or on the front page of the papers.
“I didn’t look very beautiful but I hope it has made a difference and people think twice about attacking someone else.
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“I just wanted to make sure it didn’t happen to anyone else and people seem to think that the people who did this to me wouldn’t try it again because of all the backlash.
“The police have been very supportive, they took me up to the hospital the day it happened and waited with me for six hours and then took me home.”
Officers continue to investigate the attempted robbery and still hope someone who knows who was behind it will come forward.
Inspector Alan Davison said: “I am committed to trying to identify those responsible for this attack but Ida is in good spirits and feels safe again, which is the most important thing for me.”