Callous thieves escaped with hundreds of pounds after conning a vulnerable elderly woman at her Bradford home.

Detectives yesterday condemned the “nasty” villains who targeted the 78-year-old victim by pretending to be gardeners.

The woman was approached at her home in Walden Drive, Chellow Grange, on Wednesday by a white man wearing a yellow workman’s jacket.

He offered his services for work at the property, including gardening, and agreed an inflated price, thought to be several hundred pounds, with the vulnerable pensioner.

He left, but returned at about noon, with two other white men, also wearing yellow workman’s jackets.

The woman paid the agreed money, but was then distracted by one of the suspects, allowing another man to sneak into the house and steal her handbag, containing a further substantial quantity of cash.

The men carried out a small amount of weeding before leaving the scene with the bag.

Airedale and North Bradford CID are urging residents to come forward to help them identify the cruel thieves, who are believed to have fled in a small grey hatchback car.

Detective Inspector Ryan Bragg said: “This appears to have been a nasty and targeted offence against an elderly and vulnerable lady who has been left quite understandably upset and shocked by the theft.

"I would appeal for anyone who witnessed these men in the area, or saw a grey hatchback vehicle around the location, to contact the police.

"While this appears to be an isolated incident, I would advise people to be vigilant and not to agree to work being done from people touting from door to door until their credentials have been fully checked out.”

Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact Detective Constable Mark Wycherley, at Airedale and North Bradford CID, on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.