ELDERLY people are being warned about a spate of bogus officials in Bury.

Police had three reports of a gang of up to four men targeting three houses in Ainsworth in the space of ten minutes yesterday morning.

In a separate incident in Prestwich two men conned an 85-year-old woman into letting them in before one distracted her while the other stole at ring worth £100.

Police say all the men in the first spate were white with short hair wearing light coloured bomber jackets. They made off in a black car with a red stripe down the side.

The two men in the second attack had Irish accents and claimed to be students.

PC John Flowers from Bury police said: "We encourage elderly people to use their door chains and look for ID if people claim to be officials.

"If you are not expecting workmen and they turn up on your doorstep don't let them in before making a check. If they are genuine they will wait while you ring."