A Swindon mother was left disgusted after her purse was allegedly stolen by a pensioner as she paid for her shopping in her local convenience store.

Charissa Livingstone was visiting the Simply Local store on Moredon Road at around 10am on Sunday (April 30) when she claims the woman took her purse.

The Moredon resident says she left her purse on the counter as she paid for her shopping, but left the shop without it.

When she returned looking for it, it had gone, and Charissa says CCTV showed an elderly woman taking it from the counter.

“I wasn’t aware at the time, when I was paying I left the purse on the side of the cashier’s desk and I put my card back into my pocket,” said Charissa.

“I didn’t put my purse back, my boyfriend went after me and got a drink and then another person went in with their hands full.

“Then the person behind them took the purse from the counter and placed it into her handbag and then pulled her own purse out to pay.”

The 24-year-old returned to the shop and was shown the CCTV footage which showed an elderly woman taking the purse from the cashier’s counter.

“You can see it is a definite move and I was so shocked at how quick it was because she clearly had thought about it,” she said.

“When I saw myself pull out my purse I was relieved to see I wasn’t going mad and when I saw it was the old woman I was so shocked.

“I did not expect that and I was really disappointed as they are supposed to be the generation teaching us.

“I have had more help from the younger people than the old around here and I find that really gross.”

The contents of the purse were both financially and sentimentally valuable to Charissa with the young mum having several keepsakes from her eight-year-old son taken.

“I had all my money in the purse which was £150 and I had taken out money from the last time I was paid so that I could put it by for emergencies, having just paid the gas and electric,” she said.

“There were also pictures of my son Sidney in there and notes from him in there that mean a lot.

“Finally it also had a small gift from my son in there that had really high sentimental value which I would like back.”

The Adver has approached Wiltshire Police for comment.