AN ELDERLY Blackburn man who answered a knock at his door was shoved inside by thieves and robbed of £7,500, police said.

The 85-year-old was at his home in Rawsthorne Street when the two men turned up at around 7pm on Sunday.

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After opening the door, the victim was pushed into the house and into his front room in what police described as an ‘extremely nasty crime’.

The thieves demanded to know where his valuables were and stole the money from a tin hidden in his home before leaving.

The victim recently had repair work carried out by three men in a Red Transit van with ladders on the top, officers said.

Investigating detectives believe the theft is connected to an incident on Saturday, where another man who was white, in his 40s, around 5ft 5ins stocky with fair cropped hair, called at the house offering to carry out further repair work.

After being challenged for identification by the victim and a neighbour, he left, officers said.

Det Insp Nick Hodgeson, from Eastern CID, said: “This is an extremely nasty crime where an elderly man has been targeted probably in the knowledge that there was cash in the house. The victim has been left shaken, but fortunately has been not seriously hurt.

“I would appeal for anyone who has any information to get in touch with us, in particular anyone in the area who may have been approached and asked about work being done.

The two men involved in Sunday’s theft were white, 5ft 10ins and of medium build.

One was wearing dark blue clothing with a hat, and the other a grey tracksuit with a hood up.

Anyone with information call the police on 101 quoting log number 1227 of Sunday, November, 2.