TWO teenage muggers were sentenced to two years' detention each after a judge heard their attack on an elderly woman had left her with a fractured wrist and a broken nose and fingers.

The pint-sized yobs, who were aged just 13 and 14 at the time of the assault, targeted 80-year-old Hilda Thornhill after she collected her £98 pension from a post office on Runcorn's Grangeway estate.

Minutes later, as she walked down Elm Way, they grabbed her from behind in a cowardly attack and forced her to the ground.

While one of the boys sat on Mrs Thornhill's back, the other attempted to grab her handbag, Warrington Crown Court was told.

But the plucky pensioner put up a fight and was dragged face-first along the ground by the older boy as he tried to prise her fingers loose from her bag.

The teenage thugs - who by law cannot be identified - laughed at her before running off with her pension.

Mrs Thornhill managed to stagger to her daughter's nearby home to raise the alarm.

Maria Masselis, prosecuting, told the court the previously-independent OAP had suffered a heart attack since the mugging and is now afraid to leave her home.

Judge David Hale described the attack as a 'cowardly and mindless piece of bullying'.

The youngest boy was identified by Mrs Thornhill as wearing a hooded grey sweatshirt top. He wore an identical top in court as he hung his head in shame.

Brian Jones, defending, who represented the older boy, claimed a custodial sentence would lead to his client re-offending. He said the boy suffered from attention deficit disorder and needed special treatment.

He said: 'He should be given a second chance because he is a young boy who requires further help and treatment.'

His mother told the court: 'This was completely out of character. He has never been in trouble before or since this incident.'

However, Judge Hale said reports from the boy's headteacher revealed he had been boasting of the incident among his classmates and had smuggled cannabis and alcohol into the school.

Ian Mercer, who represented the younger boy, said: 'He fully appreciates the gravity and seriousness of this offence and is greatly ashamed and remorseful.'

Judge Hale sentenced both boys to two years detention and training.

He said: 'I hope you both realise you have committed a serious offence in choosing to target an elderly lady because she was vulnerable and wouldn't be able to defend herself.

'You jumped on her and threw her to the ground, while laughing in her face. She was plucky and determined and was physically dragged across the pavement by your attempts to take the handbag from her.

'She suffered injuries and there is no doubt she was frightened by her experience, so much that she couldn't go out and collect her pension alone.

'This would have had a devastating effect on her.'