An elderly woman was hooked up to a respirator and fighting for her life last night after being knocked to the ground on Sunday by a handbag snatcher.

Josie Ray, 77, is on a life support machine in the Intensive Care Unit at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital suffering from bleeding and swelling of the brain.

She was described as being in critical condition.

Mrs. Ray was knocked to the ground by a robber as he stole her handbag - containing $150 - on Sunday evening as she picked up her mail at Southampton Post Office.

Her step-daughter, Sharon Greenslade, told The Royal Gazette yesterday afternoon that her family was seriously concerned about her.

"She was quite banged up - she has had quite a bad go of it," said Ms Greenslade.

"My dad took her to the hospital on Sunday night and on Monday night he was at the hospital and my mom looked completely out of it.

"The nurses thought she had suffered a stroke, but after they did a CAT scan, they discovered that there was blood and swelling on her brain.

"They had to operate on her to release the swelling. The operation did not go as well as they had hoped because the blood wouldn't stop."

Ms Greenslade said the doctors would keep her stepmother sedated for the next 48 hours.

She added: "A decision is going to be made as to whether we need to fly her out to see a neurologist. There is nothing that anyone can do right now, we just have to wait."

Mrs. Ray was on her way home from one of her daughter's homes and decided to collect the mail on Sunday evening when the robber struck, pulling her to the ground as he ripped her handbag from her.

Her daughter said: "Southampton Post Office is very well lit. I sometimes stop there quite late and I have never had any problems at all.

"This was one of those moments at (5.45 p.m.) - it all happened in a split second.

"Some ladies came along only a few seconds later and helped her up and took her home.

"I guess we should be grateful that he didn't have a knife and cut her up."

Ms Greenslade is warning the elderly not to take chances by being out alone after dark.

"My mother said the guy looked clean shaven and normal, but you never know," she said.

"He was probably desperate - a Sunday evening and he is coming down off the weekend high - and she was there.

"The `back in dem days' are gone, it's not safe anymore."

Penny Dill, executive director of the Women's Resource Centre, said she was concerned about the increase in violence against elderly women and said the agency was proactively working to find solutions.

"We are working in conjunction with Age Concern, because over the last year we have seen an increase in the number of complainants from them," said Ms Dill.

The Police on Monday initially reported that Mrs. Ray had not been taken to hospital and that her injuries had been only minor.

However, Mrs. Ray had been taken to the emergency rooms immediately after the incident.

Yesterday, Police said they were hunting for the robber, but would not disclose at this time what charges may follow should somebody be charged.

Police have appealed for witnesses of the incident to come forward and call CID on 295-0011.