A WARNING has been issued after a bogus social worker gained access to a house.

The incident, which has been reported to Cleveland Police, happened after a woman in Guisborough produced a card saying it was council identification, and said she wanted to raise concerns over a childcare issue.

She was allowed into the house and went into an upstairs room during the brief visit.

Nothing was taken, and it was only when a health visitor later arrived and became suspicious about the visit that it was established it had been a bogus caller.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council bosses want to emphasise the need for residents to check the identification of any unexpected caller.

The council's head of children's services, Barbara Shaw, said: "We have been advised that somebody purporting to be a social worker gained access to a house in the Guisborough area.

"We want to reinforce the message that any authorised employees would have an identification badge, with a photograph and a contact number. If anyone is unsure, they should ring the contact number and check.

"The woman involved did not realise she had been the victim of a bogus caller until the health visitor arrived soon after, and that realisation has obviously caused her some distress."