A man attacked an elderly woman with a Roundhouse kick and then continued "jumping all over her" in a sickening attack outside a graveyard.
The bespectacled 81-year-old woman was making her regular daily visit to Rake Lane cemetery in Wallasey with her elderly dog Buster when the horrific incident took place.
The attack on the helpless pensioner took place in full view of a woman and a six-year-old girl, who were with the man at the time.
The victim's niece explained that her auntie had been visiting the cemetery nearly all her life to attend the family grave, and had never had any issues before.
She said: "The day before the attack, she was just walking through when a greyhound type puppy bounded over to Buster, who gave a slight warning growl.
"My aunt said to the owner, who was with a child, 'sorry, he's old', but the woman swore at her and said 'get him on a f----- lead then.'
"My aunt's a feisty woman and she responded in kind, and then just walked away and thought no more of it.
"The next day she was at the cemetery as usual, and she was going back to her car when she heard a man screaming at her.
"He then roundhouse kicked her, and started jumping all over her legs while she was on the floor.
"She tried to struggle to get herself back up. The man then kicked her dog with full force, sending it flying over the top of a gravestone.
"He screamed in her face, 'don't you ever give my wife s---. ' She said he was like a maniac."
"All this happened while she and the young child were standing by."
"He must have gone back to the graveyard at the same time the next day looking to hurt her."
The man is described as white, in his 20s-30s, and wearing a checked jacket or shirt.
The niece added: "I really want him caught. I saw her bruising this morning and was horrified! Her poor legs took such a kicking. I'm furious.
"Her dogs are like her babies and she's more upset about what happened to Buster than she is for herself.
"I've been back to the graveyard with her since. She's been going every day for 70 years and she's not letting him beat her.
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"My aunt is very well-known there and loads of people were coming up to her and saying, 'are you okay?'
Detective Inspector Matt Caton of Merseyside Police said: "This was an appalling and cowardly attack on a vulnerable woman walking her deaf and blind dog in a place she has visited for many years.
"Due to a minor disagreement the previous day, we think between the victim and this man’s wife, this man approached, threatened and attacked her, leaving her extremely distressed and requiring paramedics.
"I'm sure the community will share our utter disgust at this incident, and our determination to find the man responsible.
"CCTV and witness enquiries have so far been negative but if you saw this incident or the man described in the cemetery, let us know and we will do all we can to put him before the courts."
If you have any information, please contact police via @MerPolCC with reference 21000192149 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or their online form on their website.
