Two elderly female visitors could not get off the Island fast enough after a man tried to mug them at knife-point and threw one of the women to the ground on Thursday evening.

The 75-year-old woman was thrown to the ground after the robber demanded money from the women as they tried to return to the Fairmont Southampton on Thursday evening after getting off a bus on South Shore Road.

Although they were unhurt, both women were so upset that no amount of persuasion could get them to finish their holiday here.

Fairmont?s director of operations Ray Roberge told that ?the ladies chose to leave the Island?.

?It was a very personal matter for them,? he said. ?We did everything we could to keep them here. But they have gone back to Philadelphia. They have cut their trip short. This is the last thing that tourism in Bermuda needs.?

Mr. Roberge would not confirm if their room at Fairmont Southampton was given to them free of charge.

However, he did say the hotel ?contacted the airport to let them know they were coming so they could be there to greet them while they were waiting at the airport?.

?We did everything we could to accommodate them as best as possible, but they could not get off the Island quick enough,? he said.

He said the attack did not happen on hotel property, which is under 24-hour guard by hotel security, but on South Shore Road.

He said the attempted robbery occurred around 7 p.m., an hour when there was a lot of traffic (on the road).

?It happened on South Shore Road and just happened to involve two of our guests,? he said. ?It was quite unfortunate that it happened to them. They were very nice old ladies.?

However, he said the hotel would not be placing security guards at the South Shore bus stop in light of the recent attack, adding that the Police were now in charge of the investigation to catch the attempted robber.

Police said: ?The 51- and 75-year-old American visitors stated that around 6.30 p.m. they were making their way to the hotel after getting off the bus from Dockyard at the South Shore entrance of the Fairmont Southampton.

?As they walked up the hill, they were approached by a man who grabbed the 75-year-old woman and demanded money, causing her to fall to the ground. She shouted they didn?t have any money, and the man made good his escape after brandishing a blade. No money was taken and neither of the women were injured in the incident.?

Police said the suspect is a black male, approximately five foot, seven inches tall, wearing dark clothing with neck length, unkempt hair. He is believed to be in his 30s or 40s.

Police are appealing to any witnesses to this incident to contact Somerset Police Station at 234-1010.

In an unrelated incident, Police said $400 was stolen from two visitors as they slept at their Paget guest home.

Police said that between 11 p.m. and 6.30 a.m. an unknown culprit gained entry to the visitors? room and took the cash. Inquiries into these incidents are underway, Police said.