A TOWN has vowed to rid its streets of bogus callers with the launch of a scheme.

Members of Shildon Town Council, Age Concern, Shildon Community Partnership, police and neighbourhood wardens are holding talks to come up with an initiative aimed at helping the elderly deal with bogus officials.

Shildon Town Mayor Stuart Bird told councillors this week that agencies were coming together to try to get rid of the callers who target the more vulnerable by conning their way into homes to steal valuables.

He said: "These people are like vultures. They descend on our town and prey on the elderly, conning their way into their homes by pretending to be from the waterboard or gas board.

"They then disappear with amounts of cash or valuables, leaving people devastated. They are despicable, the lowest of the low and they need to be stopped.''

The campaign will see stickers distributed among elderly residents in the town, urging them not to invite strangers into their home.

Coun Bird said: "I would like to see these stickers in the homes of all of the elderly and vulnerable people so that these people get the message that the people of Shildon will not be victims and make them think twice about knocking on the door."

The scheme, which will be funded by Age Concern, the town council and other organisations, will also visit sheltered accommodations to talk to elderly people and advise them what to do if someone knocks at their door claiming to be from a reputable company.

The slogan which could be adopted is "If in Doubt - Keep Them Out" and will encourage people to be more vigilant when checking the identification of door-to-door callers.

Coun Bird said: "We are hoping to give people a list of numbers to keep by their telephones that they can contact should they have any doubt about who is at their door."

He said big organisations such as British Gas, water suppliers and councils would not mind at all if members of the public telephone to check that they have callers in the area before opening their doors.