Police have issued a witness appeal after hundreds of pounds was stolen from a 94-year-old woman’s Newton Road home.

Officers were summoned to the scene when a neighbour saw a man acting suspiciously in the kitchen of the house next door.

The man was challenged and said he was the gardener – but then ran off into a white Volkswagen Caddy van, with a registration starting RF08, parked in Wellington Road

It was reported that almost £300 had been stolen during the incident, which occurred on Friday, January 26 at about 3.15pm.

Police are now on the lookout for a man described as white, in his mid-30s, slim and about 5ft 11inches tall. He was clean-shaven and wearing an “an orange fluorescent jacket with a high collar, dark blue jeans and a black beanie hat”.

Police staff investigator Greg Joyce said: “We would like to speak to anyone who may have seen this man or van in the area that day or in the days leading up to this.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to remind people to ensure all locks are secured, even when you are at home and to ask anyone who knocks on your door for identification.”

If you have information you can contact the police by phoning 101 quoting reference 44180034250, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.