Low-life thieves stole a purse from an injured tourist as she lay on the ground getting treatment after a bike accident.

To add to Roxanne Coats' misery, she broke her hip in the crash and may not be able to get married this Saturday as planned.

The thief slipped into her bag and stole her wallet containing cash and credit cards before handing the bag to her fianc? Art McDonald after the accident around 6 p.m. outside Admiralty Park, Pembroke, on Monday.

Mr. McDonald told yesterday: “They must be some pretty desperate people to prey on a situation like that.”

A Police spokesman said yesterday: “The theft of someone's belongings while they lay hurt on the ground is not something we would expect or condone and we are doing our best to bring the person responsible for this act to justice.

“We are interested in speaking to anyone who may have witnessed the accident, and we are particularly interested in speaking to anyone who saw the events that occurred shortly after the collision while the victim was being treated by ambulance personnel.

“Anyone with information should contact WPc. Steede on 295-0011.”

Mr. McDonald, from Nashville, Tennessee, said he and Ms Coats pulled out separately from Admiralty Park when his fianc? was hit by a car.

Her bag, which contained her purse, was secured in the back basket by a bungee cord.

As Ms Coats was receiving treatment from an ambulance team for a broken hip and 15 inch gash in her leg, and he was giving a statement to a Police officer, one of a crowd of young people - he thinks it was a woman - handed him the bag.

It was only when he got to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and tried to find his insurance card that he realised the crooks had stolen the wallet.

Mr. McDonald said he and Ms Coats have instructed relatives not to come out for the wedding on Saturday at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel.

He said he would go ahead, whether his bride is in a wheelchair or in her hospital bed, but he will leave the decision to her.

Recalling the accident, Mr. McDonald, a car salesman, said yesterday: “A friendly police officer was taking information down and a man, someone I didn't know, offered to store our bikes and our helmets for us.

“The purse was in the bag of the bike, held in by a bungee rope, so someone had to undo the bungee rope to get the purse.

“Someone handed it to me and I just took it. I was in shock at the time and there were some younger people around the place. I think it was a female, but I was in shock.

“When we got to the hospital I realised the wallet was gone. There was also a Rolex watch at the bottom of the purse which they must not have spotted.

“The wallet only had $40 or $50, but there was a plethora of debit and credit cards. The good news is we got them stopped so that is sorted.

“We had been told Bermuda was a really safe place, but if there is a bad place to go or a place to watch out (this is it). It is our first time in Bermuda. I've seen all of the islands around here and Bermuda is the most beautiful. “We've stopped the relatives from coming and the hotel has cancelled the dinner, but we've not cancelled the reverend.

“We haven't sat down and talked about the wedding as Roxanne is all morphined up. I'm all for continuing along even if she is to be in a wheelchair or in her bed, but it's up to her.”