Police are appealing for witnesses to an attempted robbery of a Post Office worker’s bag containing �17,000 - which was foiled when a passer-by tripped up the thief in Stamford Hill.

Hackney police are now appealing for witnesses and information in connection with the attempted robbery which took place on Monday April 18.

The victim was walking along Stamford Hill on his way to the bank on Monday April 18 at around 12.30pm, when he became suspicious that two men were following him close behind.

One of the men snatched his blue bag and he was taken to the floor in a desperate bid to keep hold of it.

But the suspect grabbed it and began to run off with his accomplice - until he was tripped up by a member of the public who had seen what happened.

The postman got his bag back and the two men – described as being of North African appearance, and around 20 to 22 years old - ran off along Portland Avenue.

One suspect was around 5 feet 6 inches tall, with a small dark brown moustache and was wearing a dark-coloured floppy sun hat.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact DC Geoff Pearson on 0207 275 3232, quoting reference number CR4610084/1, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.