POLICE are urging people to beware of callers claiming to be clairvoyants.

It follows an incident at the weekend when a pensioner let two women, claiming to have psychic powers, into her home and later discovered that £200 had been stolen from her handbag.

The women called at the home of the frail, 84-year-old victim in Hoghton Close, Sutton, some time between 3 and 5pm on Saturday, April 8. One of them asked if she wanted to have her palm read, and the pensioner, who finds it difficult to stand for too long, invited them in.

They followed her into the living room and one knelt in front of her and took hold of her hand, while the other knelt down at the side. A few minutes later, without saying a word, the two women got up and walked out.

The following day the pensioner went to get some cash out of her handbag and discovered that £200 had been taken from her bag which was at the side of the chair where the women had knelt. Police inquiries at other homes in the close revealed that a 69-year-old man had been visited on Wednesday, April 5, at about 3.45pm, by a woman who said she had news of his sick wife. Thinking that the woman was from the clinic where his wife is being cared for, he invited her in. When she claimed she was a psychic he threw her out.

When the woman left she was met by another woman and pair's descriptions were similar to those of the women who visited the 84-year-old woman.

One of the women is described as aged 30 to 40 with a stocky build and 5ft 2in to 5ft 4in tall. She had black, shoulder-length hair with a parting in the middle and was wearing a gold chain with a cross on it. The other woman is described as younger, with aslim build and about 5ft 6in to 5ft 8in tall with dark, shoulder-length hair.

Anyone able to help the police with their inquiries can contact DC Karen Cummins at St Helens CID on 0151 777 6875, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.