A WOMAN had her purse stolen by a man who stopped to give her a light for her cigarette.

The victim was waiting for her boyfriend in Portswood Road, having collected a takeway nearby, when she asked two men walking towards her if they had a lighter.

As one of them bent down to assist, he reached into her handbag and stole her wallet with around £347 in cash and various credit cards.

The theft occurred at around 10.10pm on Sunday, November 4 but has now prompted an appeal by police.

Anyone with information or who knows where the purple coloured leather-style purse might be is asked to call police in Southampton on 101.