Police today condemned an attack on a frail elderly lady in her own home as 'despicable'.

And they appealed to the criminal fraternity to help them catch the masked raider who bound the pensioner with her dressing gown cord in the daylight attack.

Detectives hope that issuing the sickening details of the crime will help catch the man who burst into the woman's home at Wrose, Shipley, at 8am and left her terrified.

The victim, in her early 80s and too terrified to be identified, was so traumatised by the ordeal that she has only now been able to tell police exactly what happened. She had answered a knock at her front door at her home in King's Drive early on Tuesday.

The robber, a tall man wearing dark clothing and a balaclava mask, shoved his way inside pushing her to the ground and bound her legs with her dressing gown cord.

He then searched the house and stole an undisclosed amount of cash.

The woman, who can only walk with the aid of a stick or a frame, managed to free herself after he had gone and rang a relative for help.

She was treated at Bradford Royal Infirmary for her injuries and is now being looked after by relatives.

Detective Inspector Gerry O'Shea, of Bradford North CID who is leading the investigation, warned the robber was a "serious threat to the public" and he urged people with links to criminals to help catch him.

He said: "I would appeal to anyone with suspicions in the criminal fraternity to speak to us, because of the nature of this attack on such an elderly, defenceless woman. The violence was unwarranted.

"Any members of the public who were in the area at the time might also have useful information for us. Someone might have seen a young man loitering about before it happened or making off in haste afterwards. There would not have been many people around there at that time of the morning. This was a despicable attack.

"Before it happened she was a spritely lady and I hope that she can go back to being like that. In time she will recover from the extensive bruising and I hope she will get over the trauma but that can only be a hope."

The woman's daughter, who also did not want to be named, today joined the appeal for witnesses to come forward and help track down the attacker.

She said: "My mother is such a frail old lady she wouldn't be able to defend herself. I can't believe anyone would do this to her. I hope that if anyone can help the police they will do so because I wouldn't like to see this happen to anyone else."

Anyone with information should contact Bradford North Police on (01274) 376059 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.