AN 89-YEAR-OLD woman was conned out of £500 at her home by a man pretending to be a tree surgeon.

The elderly victim was at her home in Pinewood Avenue at around midday on Wednesday December 7, when a man who said a tree in her garden needed to be cut down because it was at risk of falling, visited her.

She paid him £500 but later realised he had not done the work as promised after he left at around 4.45pm.

Investigating officer, PC Mark Hunt of the response team based Bracknell police station, said: "The offender has targeted a vulnerable elderly woman and taken a significant amount of cash from her without carrying out any of the work he promised.

"The offender is white, in his mid twenties, between about 5ft 2ins and 5ft 3ins, slim, with short light brown collar length hair that was wavy at the front and clean shaven. He was wearing a pair of light brown trousers, a faded orange round neck long sleeved t-shirt with a brown and green logo on the left breast and black trainers that had a criss-cross on top.

"Although no vehicles were seen at the time of the offence, the following day a man matching the description of the offender was seen getting into the driver's seat of a white panel van, possibly a Ford Transit, with black roof bars on. This van was displaying a number plate starting EJ08.

"If anyone recognises the description of the offender or vehicle, or has any other information about this offence please call police on 101."

Alternatively, people are asked to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.