‘I saw you trying to nick that, you little thief,’ he snarled. ‘I know your kind.’

‘No!’ said Gina, trying to shake him off. ‘Leave me alone. I never—’

‘You never what? Put that in your pocket? I saw you and now I’m going to call the police.’

‘No, I never meant—’

‘Never meant to be caught?’ He tried to drag Gina behind the counter, calling, ‘Dave, Dave, give us a hand. Here’s another of ’em trying to rob us.’

The door at the back of the shop opened and a hugely fat man lumbered out. He was smoking a cigarette and wheezing noisily.

Gina knew she had to get away now. There was no chance she would be able to escape from the two of them together. She aimed a kick as hard as she could at the groin of the man who held her and he let go of her wrist immediately, crumpling to the floor with an agonised yell. Luckily for her he blocked the advance of the fat man, and Gina fled from the shop, out into the street, desperate to disappear from sight before either of them could pursue her. She ran along and then down the first side road she came to, then down the next off that.

There was no one about here and she listened out for any sign the men were following her. She waited a few minutes and heard nothing. She was just about to move off, back to the busy streets, when a voice in her ear made her jump in fright and she gave a little cry of shock.

‘I’ll have that, thank you, lady,’ said a man, as he made a lightning-quick grab for Gina’s handbag over her arm.

‘No you don’t! Get off!’ she said, not letting go, trying to wrestle her bag from his hold, but the man was stronger than her and, with a violent jerk, he pulled her to the ground, dragging her along as she fought to keep possession of her bag. Within seconds he had pulled it from her grasp, twisting her shoulder, and then sped away from her, leaving her where she lay with bloodied knees.

‘You bastard … bastard,’ yelled Gina, helpless to do anything more than hurl insults.