A LEIGH man is warning the elderly to be on their guard for two men working a scrap scam.

Pensioner Vincent Sims claims the duo, who patrol the backs of homes in an old, open backed wagon, picked on him as a target for theft.

But their plot to enter his home was foiled when his dog scared them away.

However, he alleges they returned overnight to steal a Victorian chimney pot from his back garden.

Seventy-three-years-old Mr Sims, of Broom Avenue, said the men ride along the back entries in their vehicle with the younger of the two standing on the back looking over walls into gardens.

He said: "I answered a knock on the back door and saw the two men in the yard. They must have climbed over the wall or locked gate.

"The older one, aged between 30-40, asked who the Land Rover in the back belonged to. When I went to the gate with him the younger one in his 20s tried to get into the house through the back door, but my dog barked.

"I warned them they'd better get going or I'd set the dog on them.

"They left, and I barred and locked the gate again, but when I got up at 6am on the following morning the gate was wide open and my wife, Lily's, pride and joy chimney pot had vanished. She was very upset, and so was I that people can behave like this.

"I'd like to warn other pensioners to be on their guard for these merchants who ask for scrap."

The incident has been reported to Leigh police.