COPS are hunting a grey-haired Theresa May lookalike who stole a woman's purse from a shop.

West Mercia Police posted an appeal after the victim had her wallet pinched from a store in Hereford on the morning of December 11 last year.

The force released a CCTV image of the middle aged-looking suspect wearing a red jacket similar to the one regularly donned by the ex-Prime Minister.

Web users were quick to point out the "striking resemblance" to the current Tory MP for Maidenhead after the appeal was uploaded to social media.

Graeme Whittaker wrote on Facebook: "Bizarrely the following post shows a photo of Theresa May and it looks just like her especially the hair and red jacket."

Steve O'Callaghan added: "Looks like Theresa May fell on tough times after the Brexit fallout."

Tim West commented: "Oh Theresa, surely times aren't that hard. I'm sure Boris and his chums would lend you a fiver."

Officers investigating the theft said the victim accidentally left her purse on the counter when another woman put her newspaper over the top of it and left the shop.

A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: "We are appealing for information and releasing a CCTV image following a theft inside a Hereford store.

"On Friday, December 11 at around 10.30am, a woman had been in the store on Whitecross Road when it is understood that she left her wallet on the counter before leaving.

"At around the same time it is believed another woman put a newspaper on top of the wallet and then took both the paper and wallet. She then left the shop."