Police are appealing for information after a teenager was asked to hand over her purse by a man in Trowbridge at around 11.25pm on Friday.

The 19-year-old woman was in Canal Road when she was approached by the man, who asked her to hand over her purse, before he became distracted and ran away from the scene.

The man is described as tanned, approximately 6ft 5ins tall, of medium build. He had brown eyes, dark black eyebrows with a distinctive patch missing from his right eyebrow.

He was wearing a black bandana covering the lower part of his face, black tracksuit bottoms with stripes down the side and black and grey trainers with white laces.

The man was also wearing black woolly gloves and a black puffa jacket with a zip down the front and the hood up. The jacket had a Puma logo on the chest and the man spoke with a local accent. 

The incident comes just weeks after a 14-year-old girl was also assaulted on Canal Road, opposite Lidl supermarket, before she was able to kick out and run to safety. The assault took place at around 5.30pm on January 31.

Anyone with information should call DC Kev Keast at Trowbridge Police Station on 101. Alternatively call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where information can be left anonymously if preferred.