Two hairdressers chased thieves for half a mile to retrieve a client's stolen handbag.

Moira Bennett was having a manicure at Ridgewoods Hair Salon in Hove when two women snatched her bag after distracting staff.

Salon manager Mandy Goodridge, 41, and assistant Hannah White, 20, downed their scissors and gave chase.

Although the duo got away, they threw the handbag back at Mandy.

The theft happened at the Western Road salon at 1pm yesterday.

One of the thieves, in her late 40s, started chatting to people in the salon while her teenage accomplice took Mrs Bennett's bag from her side.

Mandy said: "I didn't actually witness the bag going so I didn't know what I was looking for. But the lady said, 'Please can you get my bag back', so I just ran.

"I didn't have the time to think or to be scared. It was only afterwards that I started thinking it was madness."

She and Hannah chased the thieves to First Avenue, where they got the bag back.

Mandy said: "They suddenly turned down a dead end. One of them threw the bag at me."

Mrs Bennett said: "That handbag's my life. I'm very grateful to these marvellous people at the salon."