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   Collection for Pendleton OAP attacked by teens
by Tom Rodgers
The community in Whit Lane in Pendleton has shown its true nature today, starting a collection for an OAP attacked by teens for her pension money. The lady, 67-year old Breda Kavanagh, was mugged by two teenagers on Monday 16th January as she walked down a ginnel joining Whit Lane and Auckland Drive in Pendleton. Police have sent letters to homes on the Whit Lane estate giving a description of the youths. Emma Walker, 31, lives on Haymond Close. "It's a tiny minority of people who do this kind of thing. This is a good area, we do care about our neighbours and we do help each other out. "I've lived here for eight years. My boyfriend and her mum know the lady and as soon as we heard about it we wanted to help out. "It's so rare to hear about a mugging like this, as long as I've lived here I've never heard about an attack on an elderly lady. It's more about how she feels afterwards and we want to let her know the community care about her." "People have been knocking on my door to give money to help out Breda. We're asking for a pound a person but everyone's donated £2 each so far." The appeal, which started off with £10 from Emma and her partner, has only been running for a few hours as of Tuesday afternoon, and has already collected £30. Emma and her friends will be collecting at the nearby school and at Whit Lane shops in Pendleton near the site of the mugging until 3.30 today, and again from 9am while 10am tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. The collection will also go door-to-door to help Breda recover her pension money. Emma, whose four children go to the nearby St George's school, said: "My eldest is 12, and he's got a mobile phone so I can contact him, but that makes him a target as well. "People want to help out as soon as they've heard." Breda is now recovering in Salford Royal hospital. She was attacked at about 4pm on Monday 16 January 2012 when two men, one walking and one on a bike, approached her. The offender who was on foot kicked the woman's walking stick away then punched her in the face. The blow sent her to the floor. The pair then dragged her handbag from her arm, helped themselves to her purse and fled towards Douglas Bank. The purse had her pension money in it. The victim suffered facial and arm injuries, as well as shock. The offender on the bike was white and was wearing a hat. His accomplice was also white. between 15 and 18 years old, and had a scarf covering his face. Detective Constable Dave Cupitt from Salford CID called it a "cowardly attack on a defenceless woman". He said: "She is in a terrible state of shock and her family are very distressed that this has happened to her. Anyone with information should call Salford CID on 0161 856 5351 or by ringing the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Lastly, for anyone who lives in the area and wants to improve it, there also is a community group called the Whit Lane Action Group which meets on Tuesday mornings at St Sebastian's Primary School from 9am while 10am. Image: Whit Lane shops, opposite Gerald Road. Photo by Gene Hunt via Flickr.com
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