DETECTIVES have made a further appeal for witnesses after a nurse was pushed against a wall and had a handbag snatched from her.

The robbery took place shortly before 6pm on Wednesday, September 25, in an alleyway close to the Wharf Road in Grays.

The victim, a 25-year-old woman, who lives locally, was walking along an alleyway leading to the Aldi supermarket when she was approached by two men.

One of them pushed her against the wall while the other snatched her brown leather handbag containing her nurse uniform and an asthma inhaler.

The men ran in the direction of Wharf Road and the residential area.

Both are described as white, aged between 17 and 18 and around 5ft 8ins tall.

They were wearing sportswear and one had his hood over his head.

Further enquiries have now revealed that when the two men ran off, they passed a man sat parked in a blue van parked outside some of the flats in Wharf Road.

It has been described as a Ford Transit style van and was parked there at around 5.55pm on the day of the robbery.

Investigating Officer Pc Ed Gosling said: "The driver of the van is said to have driven around to help look for the suspects. I would really like him to come forward as I am hoping that he may have seen their faces as they ran past.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Pc Ed Gosling at Brentwood on Essex Police 101 or they can leave information anonymously by calling independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.