A PENSIONER has had £330 stolen from her by bogus officials.

The 70-year-old woman was at the rear of her council-owned property in Evenwood, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, when she was approached by a man who said he had come to check the drains.

The woman, who is hard of hearing and lip reads to communicate, had received notification from the water company six weeks before informing her its workers needed access to check the drains, so she was not suspicious.

The man, with a local accent, walked in to the kitchen of her home in Shirley Close and asked her to turn the water off at the mains.

He also asked her to fill a kettle.

He then told her to run the water until it changed colour because dye had been put in the system.

She became impatient with the man and when she turned away from him, saw a second man in her living room.

She noticed her handbag had been moved and discovered £30 had been taken from her wallet.

Before they left, one of the men told the victim the other man would not take anything from her.

The first man was white, aged 30, 5ft 8in, slim with a thin face and a pale complexion. He had short, dark brown hair, and wore a beige waist-length jacket zipped at the front.

The second man was white, in his late 20s or early 30s, of medium build, with a round face and straight fair hair. He wore a light-blue jacket.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on (01388) 603566, ext 2558.