Northumbria Police said there were two incidents on Tuesday when a man claiming to be from the council asked for payment for work.

A 64-year-old woman refused the work but later an 87-year-old woman handed over £250.

Police are warning people to check identification and if they have any doubts to contact police.

The first incident happened around 1415 GMT when a man claiming to work for the council went to the home of a 64-year-old woman in Durham Court, Hebburn.

Identification card

He asked for £250 for wall insulation work and said the rest would be paid for by the council.

The woman did not let him in but refused to have the work done.

At about 1545 GMT, a man also claiming to work for the council called at the home of an 87-year-old woman in Farding Lake Court, South Shields, and asked for the same amount for insulation work.

The men left with the payment and said a receipt would be left.

In the first incident, the man is described as white, in his 30s, 5ft 9ins, stocky build and was wearing dark rimmed, round glasses, black woollen hat, black jacket with red markings and black gloves.

He had a small typed identification card with no photo.