FEARS have been raised that young families are at risk from a bogus caller claiming to be a health visitor.

Police were alerted by a young mother, who was visited by a woman in her late 30s or early 40s at her home in Kimblesworth, near Sacriston, County Durham, last Friday between 3pm and 3.40pm.

She introduced herself as Joan and suggested that the mother should take her three-year-old son to a clinic for a pre-school health check, for which he would have to be left for two hours.

No particular clinic was specified, and no definite arrangements were made. Before the caller left, she implied that she would return within a few days to make an appointment.

She never entered the house or made contact with the child.

After a few days the householder contacted the police.

Checks with the health authority revealed that it is not usual practice for children to be left in clinics without a parent while they are examined, and that the woman was an impostor.

Detective Sergeant Eric Malkin, of Durham CID, said: "At this stage, we can only guess at the woman's motives and there may be a perfectly innocent explanation.

"I do not want to alarm people and I would stress that this might be just a one-off, however, we are concerned about what happened and are treating the matter very seriously."

The bogus health worker is described as 5ft 8ins, of medium build, with straight brown, bobbed hair streaked with red.

She had a mole or beauty spot on her chin, spoke with a local accent, and was wearing a white Ellesse tracksuit top.

The woman drove off in a in a blue Nissan Primera.

Anyone with information on the incident should ring 0191-386 4222.