AN elderly widow who was conned out of £20,000 in life savings by a bogus builder became a victim for a second time after she was targeted by burglars.

The 84-year-old, who The Northern Echo is not naming, was bullied into letting the two men and a woman in after they told her guttering on her home needed repairing.

Teesside Crown court heard that some time before the incident, in March, the victim had been swindled out of £20,000 by a bogus builder, who was later jailed for three years for the offence.

Michael Bosomworth, prosecuting, said that in the latest incident, the victim was at home in Horden, east Durham, on March 10, when there was a knock at her door.

She opened it to find Sharlene Owens, 26, and a man at her door.

Owens, who had ripped off part of the guttering, said it needed repairing. They made excuses to get in the house before another man turned up.

The court heard that while she was outside, one of the men, either Gary Young or Mark Turner, went into her bedroom and stole her handbag, wedding ring, £90 and a bank card.

Neighbours wrote down the registration of their van and police traced it.

The victim is now scared to answer her door and feels shut off from the world. Barristers for the three said they deeply regretted their actions.

Jailing them, Judge Peter Fox said: "It was a despicable offence against a very vulnerable and frail old lady."

Owens, of Uppingham Street, Hartlepool, was jailed for six years after she pleaded guilty to burglary and attempting to obtain property by deception.

Young, 33, of Stirling Street, and Turner, 33, of Elliot Court, both Hartlepool, were both jailed for five years after they admitted burglary.

In 2003, The Northern Echo launched its Doorstoppers campaign to cut down on conmen targeting people door-to-door.