Disgusted police officers have pledged to track down two 'cowards' who repeatedly kicked a girl in the face when she refused to let them have her handbag.

The brave 20-year-old clung onto her bag during the violent robbery at a Chiswick bus stop but was brutally attacked by the teenage thugs until she let go.

Det Insp Jeff Minns, of Hounslow CID, said: "This was a particularly nasty attack, and the cowards who did this need to go to prison. We're determined to find this pair and arrest them."

The victim had been walking along Sutton Court Road with a friend, on Monday night, when they were approached by two boys at around 12.30pm, near the Lawford Road bus stop.

They attempted to snatch her handbag, containing cash, bank cards and other personal items, dragging her to the floor when she  kept hold of it.

The callous duo then kicked her several times in the face and body before making off with the bag.

She was left with cuts, grazes and bruising but did not require hospital treatment.

The first suspect was a thin black boy, aged around 16, 6ft tall, wearing a hooded top and dark tracksuit bottoms.

The second was a thin white boy, aged around 15, 5ft 3 ins, with light brown hair, wearing a dark hooded top and dark Adidas tracksuit bottoms.

Anyone with information about any of the crimes above should call Hounslow CID on 020 8247 6160 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.