An “ex-nun” lies awake at night because of flashbacks to the robbery that left her severely bruised.

The 68-year-old woman “couldn’t believe it” when she was pushed roughly to the ground by a stocky man on her friend’s doorstep. The pensioner – who wishes to remain anonymous – said: “The bruises are fading but my confidence is gone.

“I’ve always gone to places by myself and even though I’m starting to go out again, it makes me really nervous.

“I can’t sleep a lot of the time as I keep replaying what happened in my head.”

The 68-year-old woman – who was a nun for more than 30 years – went to her friend’s house in Wilfred Avenue, Rainham, at 6.20am on January 23 to help her with ironing.

But as she was about to step inside, the suspect slammed her face into the door.

She was forced to the ground as the man shouted at her to handover her handbag. He took it off her arm and ran off.

She said: “I have got a lot of bruising to my face and a few cuts as well but luckily he didn’t fracture anything.

“I am an ex-nun so my faith means a lot to me and I’ve had a lot of support from everyone at my church.

“He probably would have robbed my friend’s house if she wasn’t at home and done a lot more damage – it is frightening to think what he could have done to me.”

The suspect was wearing a black hooded jumper and is described as a white man, around 30-years-old, stocky build, with thick black unkempt hair and a round clean-shaven face.

The pensioner said: “This man needs to be caught as we really don’t know what he is capable of.”

Police would also like to speak to the people who found the handbag in a nearby bush and delivered back to the victim.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Barry Carter from Havering CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 – quote crime reference number: 5401113/15.