PARENTS are warned to be on their guard after a woman posing as a social worker tried to get into a house to examine a baby.

Patrick Leonard answered the door of the family's home in Glen Street, Colne, to a smartly dressed woman in her 20s at 4.45pm yesterday.

Mr Leonard said: "The woman said she was a social worker and she had come to check our baby.

"I asked her for identification and she said she would get it from her car which was parked further down the street.

"She calmly walked away and didn't seem concerned that I had confronted her. I waited in the house for 15 minutes and when she didn't return I contacted the police. "I am very concerned for other parents and would urge them to be very careful if anyone comes to their door. Check them out before letting them in.

"I haven't slept since it happened and my wife Catherine is very upset."

Inspector Joyce Green of Pendle police warned all parents to be on their guard and urged anyone who had a similar call, or anyone who recognises the woman's description, to come forward.

She was 5ft 5in, with sandy-coloured shoulder-length hair tied in a pony tail. She was slim and wore a black jacket, a white blouse with a frill at the front and a black skirt.

Inspector Green said: "She was very smartly dressed and spoke with a local accent. It was very wet at that time and she had no coat. Mr Leonard said she looked very wet, so she could have been walking for some time.

"This is something that particularly concerns us and we would urge parents to be vigilant and if any official comes to their door to ask for identification."

Anyone who saw the woman or knows her identity should contact Pendle police on 01282 863161.

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