A VULNERABLE man was left shouting for help after he was punched in the head and arm following an attempted robbery in Reading.

The 54-year-old left the Reading Buses number 4 service outside the Prudential on Kings Road between 11am and 11.30am on Monday, December 17.

As he walked along the road away from the town centre and made his way along the riverside pathway towards Orts Road, the offender walked past him the victim and went into an alley way leading from the pathway to Patriot Place.

As the victim approached, the offender tried to grab his shoulder bag. There was a verbal altercation which led to the offender punching the victim several times to the head and arm.

The man shouted for help as the offender ran way from the scene.

No property was stolen during the ordeal.

The victim sustained bruising but did not require hospital treatment.

A man and a woman who were on the other side of the river during the incident approached the victim shortly afterwards and walked him home.

The offender is described as a white man in his late 30s, approximately 5ft 7ins tall, of slim build with a ginger moustache and a thick beard.

He was wearing a black and grey North Face jacket, a baseball cap which was covered by a hood, jeans and black gloves.

Investigating officer detective constable Liz Heading said: “I am appealing for members of the public who may have seen this incident to come forward.

“I would particularly like to hear from the two members of public who assisted the victim after the incident, as they may have information which is vital to our investigation.”

Anyone with information should contact the Thames Valley Police non-emergency number on 101, quoting reference 43180385405.

Information can also be reported online at https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/, or crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.