AN elderly woman had to be taken to hospital with shock after a conman tricked his way into her house and stole her handbag.

The 87-year-old suffered the ordeal at the hands of a man who claimed to work for the council.

Now, her family are praying she pulls through the trauma and are warning elderly people to be on their guard.

Police have called it a 'despicable' crime and are even asking members of Blackburn's criminal fraternity to come forward with information.

The incident happened in Roe Lee Park, Blackburn, when a smartly-dressed man knocked at her door saying he was from the council and had come to check her radiators.

The victim's daughter-in-law contacted the Lancashire Evening Telegraph to alert householders in the area but asked for her identity to be kept secret.

She said: "The man flashed a plastic ID card at her and she let him in. Then he asked her to phone a number which would verify he was genuine because 'there were a lot of conmen about'. She phoned the number and when she turned around again he'd gone and so had her handbag.

"We just don't want this to happen to anybody else and warn everyone to be on their guard. If we can save one other family from the upset it will be worth it."

The elderly woman phoned the police while her son and daughter-in-law, who live in Dunsop Bridge, immediately called round to comfort her.

The daughter-in-law said: "She took a turn for the worse and we had to phone an ambulance. The doctors don't know if it's a stroke or just the shock but she's in a bad way.

"We can't believe someone could do something like this. She's such a lovely, sweet woman. She's quite frail but she's a fighter so we're hoping she'll pull through.

"There was no physical attack but it doesn't bear thinking about what would've happened had she caught him in the act."

The victim is now recovering in Blackburn Infirmary but is still shaken by the ordeal.

Insp Stuart Bruce of Blackburn Police said he would like to hear from anyone else who may have come across the caller operating in the area.

Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or Blackburn CID on 01254 353569.