A FORMER mayor of Darlington has warned residents after she was burgled by a bogus caller yesterday.

Councillor Eleanor Lister initially thought she had seen off the caller - but when she checked later, she realised her handbag and mobile phone had been taken.

Coun Lister, whose year in office ended last month, answered a knock at the door of her home in Larchfield Street at about 11am.

A man, who said he was working in the back lane, asked her to go upstairs and check the taps.

"I told him I had a water meter and that he could tell if the water was working or not from there," said Coun Lister.

"He then asked me for the number of the water meter, but he could have checked that himself. I asked him for some identification and then he left.

"I did go upstairs to check the taps, and saw no one was working in the back lane. I came down straight away and thought nothing more of it. But when I checked later, I realised this guy had walked off with my mobile phone and handbag."

Fortunately, Coun Lister's purse and keys was out of her bag when it was stolen.

"There are a lot of elderly people in the area," she said. "If anyone turns up at your door, don't do anything -- just say no."

Coun Lister has reported the incident to police. "They were absolutely brilliant, they came down straight away," she said.