A pensioner foiled a robbery at a church in Worthing when she faced up to four burglars.

The 79-year-old disturbed the men as they raided a parish office after a service at St Mary of the Angels Church.

She grabbed the arm of one of the men as they tried to escape but was pushed over. She was shaken but uninjured.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said: "I don't know what all the fuss is about.

"When I saw the thieves I thought, 'What a cheek'. I had to try to stop them."

When she stumbled across the burglars, one made an excuse about looking for the toilet while the other three hid.

She said: "I went to show him where it was and by the time I got back to the office there was a hole smashed in the wooden door. I heard voices and then a man shot out of the office past me.

"I was so angry. When a second man tried to get past me I stood in his way and grabbed his arm. It was an automatic reaction."

The man pushed her backwards and she fell on to a table, hurting her arm. The four men fled.

Father Paul Wilkinson, assistant priest, said: "When I heard a parishioner had tackled the thieves I was surprised but it made sense when I heard it was her.

"She is a feisty lady who accepts no nonsense.

"It may not have been the most sensible thing to do and she was lucky not to have been hurt badly.

"But I think she's brilliant. Thanks to her, the men escaped empty-handed."

The pensioner confronted the thieves at 12.25pm, half an hour after Mass had ended.

A police spokesman said: "Luckily on this occasion the lady who disturbed the thieves was not injured."

He urged people who may have seen four men in the area to come forward.

Anyone with information can contact PC Ian Maloney at Sussex Police on 0845 6070999.