THE CITIZEN, concerned about a series of cowardly attacks on elderly people in the Fylde, has launched a new campaign to protect those most vulnerable in society.

In the past few days pensioners have been the victims of muggings and burglaries by callous thieves, bogus callers and muggers.

As a result we are drawing to all our readers' attention guidelines which have been issued by the Home Office in a special booklet available from crime prevention officers called How To Beat The Bogus Caller.

It offers advice on practical steps to take when someone calls to offer work, calls for urgent help, or when an "official" knocks on the door.

The booklet recommends a routine:

STOP -- lock back doors and think whether anyone is expected.

CHAIN -- put the chain on and look through windows to see who is at the door and...

CHECK -- ask for and carefully check IDs.

And a guide from Blackpool Trading Standards for dealing with hawkers suggests: "If in doubt keep them out" and recommends using the DOORSTEP code to stop bogus callers getting into people's homes.

The guide is available from Trading Standards at 125 Albert Road in Blackpool. Telephone (01253) 478395. The guide is also on the council website: www.blackpool.gov.uk.

These are some of the horrific incidents that have occurred since the New Year...

AN 82-year-old man was mugged by a 6ft knife-wielding thief in Layton Cemetery at the weekend. The pensioner was in the cemetery at 11.50am on January 6 when the thief, wearing a balaclava, came from behind and put the old man in a headlock forcing him to the ground before demanding his wallet.

The thief searched the man and took his wallet from his back pocket. The man then noticed that his attacker had a knife in his hand.

The thief ran out of the cemetery, taking £40 from the pensioner's wallet. He was white, in his mid twenties, over 6ft tall and wore a cream waist-length jacket, dark trousers, a black bobble hat and a balaclava. He spoke with a local accent.

A PENSIONER was wrestled to the floor and threatened by a thief who stole her handbag in a Blackpool street on January 5.

The 63-year-old lady was near the junction of Rawcliffe Street and Moore Street in South Shore at around 7pm when a man came from behind and grabbed her handbag. She held on and the thief verbally abused her and wrestled her to the floor.

The thief broke the strap of the handbag in the struggle and ran off with it, threatening the old lady that if her ever saw her again he would knife her. A witness chased the thief on to Bond Street but gave up when the thief intimated that he had a knife.

He was white with a roundish face, aged 28 to 30, 5ft 10ins tall, with dirty, straight, short fair hair. He spoke with a Scottish accent which may have been Glaswegian. He was dressed in a black leather jacket which had a front zip with silver beading or studs running vertically on either side of it.

A WHEELCHAIR-bound pensioner was burgled at knifepoint by a couple in matching jackets who had conned their way in to her home.

The 69-year-old woman was at her sheltered accommodation flat at Aysgarth Court in South Shore at 5.30pm on January 5 when a young woman knocked on the window of the flat and said she was trying to find her grandmother's home.

Around 10 or 15 minutes later the girl returned, rang the bell and asked if she could use the toilet. The pensioner let her in.

The girl went into the bathroom for a short time and when she came out into the hallway she was joined by a man who produced a knife, threatened the old lady and told her not to contact the police. He searched her cupboards and took her disability benefit book, a small amount of cash and personal papers. The woman was white, in her early to mid twenties, 5ft 7ins tall with straight, brown, collar to shoulder-length hair.

The man was white, aged 25 to 30, and 6ft to 6ft 2ins tall. He was broadly-built with dark brown swept-back hair. He was wearing dark trousers, possibly jeans. Both wore the same jackets -- dark anorak-type jackets with a white V-shaped design on the front.

A PENSIONER was locked out of her house and burgled by a thief who had conned his way into her home. The old lady answered a knock at the door of her semi on Warbreck Drive in Bispham between 10 and 10.30am on January 3.

The man told her that his girlfriend had thrown his mobile phone into the old lady's back garden after an argument and asked if he could go and get it back.

She let him through the house to get to the back garden. As she went out through the kitchen door he locked it, leaving her stranded outside, then searched the house and stole her purse, house keys, money, Switch card and personal papers before leaving through the front door and leaving the old lady locked in the back garden.

He was white, in his 40s, 5ft 5ins tall and stocky. He wore a flat cap and the lady thought he might have been wearing a disguise -- he had thick, collar length auburn hair and a full, thick, auburn beard and moustache which nearly covered his entire face and wore brown plastic-rimmed glasses.

AN ELDERLY woman was walking along Cocker Street, Blackpool, on January 6 at 6pm when a thief grabbed her shoulder bag from behind. She managed to hold on to it but after a struggle the bag snapped and the thief ran off with the bag containing the lady's bank cards, money and personal papers. He was white, aged between 30 and 35, 5ft 9ins tall with very short mid brown hair. He wore light coloured trousers, a grey fleece jacket and black shoes. Crime Prevention Officers -- can give advice on security around your home. Contact them at Blackpool police station on (01253) 607244.

Local Councils -- community safety, housing, social services or your health visitor can give advice and even provide door bars.

Age Concern -- runs projects to fit security devices in older people's homes. Contact the organisation on freephone (0800) 00 99 66 from 7am to 7pm seven days a week, or locally on (01253) 299478.

Help the Aged -- gives practical support to help older people live independent lives. Contact them on freephone SeniorLine: (0800) 800 6565 from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday.

Neighbourhood Watch -- try to join or set up a scheme. Contact the crime prevention officers or council community safety officer if you want to set one up. For more information phone the National Neighbourhood Watch Association on (0207) 772 3348.

Victim Support -- contact on (01253) 713222.