An elderly man was repeatedly punched in the face when two teenagers ambushed him and tried to steal his money.

The 70-year-old was walking down Greenways in Abbots Langley, at around 4pm on January 15, when he was approached by the thieves.

When he refused to give them his money, one of the boys jumped on his back while the other punched him in the face.

The victim managed to fend off the thugs, who then ran away towards the village. 

The pair are described as white teenage boys, aged between 16 and 17 years old, who were both wearing grey, hooded jackets.

Detective Constable Paul Burton, who is investigating, said: “This was a nasty attack but thankfully the victim was able to fight off these cowardly offenders however, he did suffer a hand injury and bruising to his face.

“We believe that one of these offenders may have suffered an injury to his face during the incident."

Anyone with information should call 101.