An 87-year-old woman fought off two robbers who attacked her after tricking their way into her home.

The woman from Holloway was left black and blue after the con artists turned violent when she realised they were up to no good.

One of them grabbed her arm, shoved her and tried to smother her screams – but the brave pensioner fended them off by kicking and shouting at them.

The two men fled empty-handed from her flat in Staveley Close, where she has lived since the 1970s, leaving her with bruises, a swollen elbow and a blood clot on her arm.

Her son, 46, who asked not to be named to protect his mum’s identity, said: “They covered her mouth to stop her screaming and she thought that was it, she thought she was going to be suffocated. But she fought back, kicking and screaming so much that they panicked and ran.

“She’s about seven stone, five foot and 87 and she still fought back, so fair play to her. I would not advise other elderly people to do it though. I think she was lucky.”

The thugs knocked on the woman’s door at about 5pm on May 1, claiming to be from the water board and there to fix a leak.

After letting them in, the woman realised something wasn’t right – but when she refused to co-operate, they turned nasty and launched their vicious assault.

Her son added: “She’s nervous now, she won’t open the door at all. She’s recovered physically, but not psychologically. Words can’t describe what I think of those men.”

Police this week issued a computer generated image of one of the suspects and are appealing for the public’s help.

Det Sgt Simon Whitbread said: “These two cowardly men brutally attacked a frail victim in her own home and we want to identify these men and bring them to justice.

“If anyone can identify these suspects, I urge them to come forward.”

The two men are white. One is aged about 45 to 50, of medium build with short dark hair, and he was wearing dark clothes.

The other is 19 or 20, fair haired, slim and was wearing light coloured clothes.

Anyone with information should call Islington CID on 020 7421 0154 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.