A robbery in which a 72-year-old Kenilworth woman was dragged around her own home will be featured on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme on Tuesday 23 February.

The robbery happened at shortly after 10pm on 6 May 1998 when a man forced his way into the house at Herberts Lane, Kenilworth. He ransacked the house, dragging the lady around with him, and left with two purses containing £180 cash.

The lady raised the alarm using her Lifeline, and was subsequently taken to Warwick hospital suffering from deep cuts to her head and scalp which required stitching, and cuts and bruises to her arms and legs.

The offender is described as white, aged in his twenties, slim, about 5 feet 10 inched tall with fair to mousy short, tidy hair, well-dressed, clean shaven and wearing dark trousers and a dark jacket.

Shortly after the offence the attacker went to the Cottage Public House, Stoneleigh Road, Kenilworth. The lady’s purse was found in a bin in the gents toilet. The reconstruction will show the offender in an agitated state ordering a double whisky and Hamlet cigar. He ordered a taxi and at 23:45 and is collected from the pub in a grey Peugeot 405 Victoria taxi which he asked to take him near to University of Warwick. He changed his mind and eventually got out in the Stoke area of Coventry.

Detective Sergeant Colin Jones of Leamington CID said:

"This was a really brutal crime. I would urge local people local to Kenilworth and Coventry to watch the programme and to think hard about whether they saw or heard anything that night that could help us to catch this man.

"Even if they were not in the area at the time, someone might recognise the sort of person who could do this, or have heard someone bragging."

Crimewatch viewers will be asked to contact the studio or the incident room at Leamington police station on 01926 415000. Anyone who wants to give information anonymously can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.