A WAR hero and his wife have been conned by a cowardly thief posing as a policeman. Harold Anders, 85, and his wife Mary Ellen, 80, were at their bungalow home in Dunmail Avenue, Carr Mill, when the bogus bobby called at 9.30pm.

He told them he wanted to use their bedroom for observation because of a possible break-in across the road.

After the man left, Harold - who was mentioned in dispatches and decorated for actions above and beyond the call of duty while rescuing a British soldier from an enemy camp in Burma during World War II - went into his bedroom and discovered that a grey jacket containing £300 had been stolen and replaced with an old jacket.

Harold and Mary Ellen, who have four children, had been planning to use the money for a fortnight stay at Ruskin Lodge.

The offender is described as a white male with a dark complexion, short dark hair, 5ft 8in to 6ft tall and in his 30s.

ANYONE with information regarding this incident should call the Crime Management Unit at St Helens police station on 0151 777 6050, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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