POLICE are warning elderly people in the Hambleton district to be on their guard against strangers on their doorsteps.

Householders have been advised to be alert to anyone calling at their homes, particularly asking to use the toilet or offering cleaning services. Police said people should use a door chain or keep their door locked if they are uncertain or unhappy about a caller. The warning followed three recent incidents in Romanby where the same house had been visited by a woman in her thirties with a girl aged about four. Police said that although no offence had been committed, the elderly occupier had been upset by the visits.

Balcony stopped: Plans to build a first-floor balcony at the rear of Town House Farm, Marton-cum-Grafton, Boroughbridge, has been refused by Harrogate Borough Council. Planners said the development failed to respect the privacy of nearby houses. They also said it did not reflect the design and appearance of the property, which is in a conservation area.