A blind woman fighting gangrene in her foot has been cleaned out of her life savings by a 'calm and friendly' conwoman who offered to help her.

Irene Barr was left in tears after the woman knocked on the door of her Bradford home claiming to be from Bradford Council, offered help and then stole the cash.

The conwoman knew she had been in hospital for treatment, referred to her bad foot and said a cleaner could be organised for Miss Barr.

But while she sweet-talked 57-year-old Miss Barr into allowing her to look upstairs to see what needed doing, the conwoman rifled through her belongings and took hundreds of pounds from her life-savings.

The cash had been scrimped from Miss Barr's meagre disability living allowance in the hope of buying a new vacuum cleaner.

Today Miss Barr, who has been blind since 1972 after a build up of pressure in her brain caused her sight to fail, struggled to comprehend how someone so vulnerable could be targeted for theft.

"Whoever has done this to me wants shooting," Miss Barr, of West Bowling, said.

"Why have they picked on me? I was devastated when I found out my money had gone.

"The woman was very calm and friendly. How she knew about my foot I will never know."

Police today condemned the attacker and said she should be ashamed for targeting a woman so vulnerable.

Miss Barr has lived alone at her home ever since her mother died 18 years ago and now relies on friends and a home help to do chores for her.

Her friend Ivy Pell said: "What kind of person would do this to a blind woman?

"It is an absolute outrage. This has really taken a lot out of Irene.

"I just hope the police catch her soon to stop it happening to some other poor soul."

A spokesman for the Council said no-one from the Social Services department had been sent to see Miss Barr.

He said: "It is very distressing to hear of this type of crime.

"We would urge anyone who receives a visitor claiming to be a council official that they immediately ask for identification or make a phone call to check that the visitor is who they say they are before allowing anyone into their home.

"We would not make a visit to a blind person without having made a prior arrangement to visit."

A spokesman for Bradford South police said: "This is a particularly cruel and heartless crime committed against a more vulnerable person.

"Whoever is responsible should feel very ashamed of their actions having targeted someone in this way."