AN MP was involved in a dramatic chase through the streets of Yeadon after a woman had her handbag stolen at a public meeting.

Paul Truswell, the MP for Aireborough and Horsforth, several city councillors and council officials were involved in the incident after a man snatched the handbag during a meeting at Yeadon Town Hall.

Wharfedale Observer reporter Amanda Greaves was sitting at one side of the Airedale Room and said that a public meeting to discuss council housing in Aireborough on Wednesday of last week was about 15 minutes old when the man wandered in, grabbed her handbag and ran out.

Miss Greaves shouted out and began to run after him until she got to the Town Hall steps. About five people in the meeting, led by Aireborough Community Involvement Team co-ordinator Jonathan Kerr, chased after the man, who ran up the back of High Street towards Morrisons but managed to escape.

Mr Truswell, who had also run out of the meeting, looked for the bag without success. It was later found - but a mobile phone is still missing.

The man had earlier been seen walking into the Town Hall but left almost immediately. He returned five minutes' later and made a beeline for the bag.

Mr Truswell, who this week sent his best wishes to Miss Greaves, said: "The incident left me shocked. It was a brazen and calculated act probably from someone desperate for his next 'fix'.

"It all happened in a split second. He obviously had it all planned out. About half a dozen people dashed out of the room after him. I'm not slow or unfit, but he got 20 to 30 yards start and there was no way anybody was going to catch him."

Miss Greaves, 25, said: "It was the last place I would have expected something like this to happen. It came as a complete shock.

"I'm very grateful to all of the people who ran out to help, and even people on the street joined in. Everyone at the meeting asked after me."

The thief is described as white, in his early 20s, scruffy looking, short dark brown hair with a fringe, 5ft 7in tall, thin build, with a spotty face and dark eyes. He was wearing a dark blue zip-up fleece with cream lining, bright green trousers, possibly overalls, with paint on them and trainers.

Miss Greaves, who lives in Otley, added that her purse was handed into Weetwood Police by a taxi driver after being found in Yeadon High Street and her bag was found later that night by staff at Unit Four Wine Bar, also in High Street, stuffed into a toilet cistern.