A young mugger slashed the hand of a woman in her fifties and snatched her bag in an attack in an underpass.

The robbery took place in a cut-through which passes under the railway tracks between Westbrook Crescent and Cromer Road, New Barnet.

The woman was approached from behind at about 1.40pm on Saturday by a man described as aged 19 or 20, who pushed her to the ground and kicked her.

The attacker, who police say had a London accent, slashed the woman’s hand with a knife before running off in the direction of Cromer Road with her bag.

She was later taken to Barnet Hospital with minor injuries.

A police representative said the attack was “unusually violent” and stressed that incidents of this kind are rare in the area.

Barnet Police are appealing for anyone with information to call them on the non-emergency number 101.

The attack took place in a cut-through between Westbrook Crescent and Cromer Road.