A 73-year-old woman was targeted by distraction burglars in Bicester.

Two men called at a property in Loddon Close, Kings End, at 10am in Tuesday claiming there had been flooding in an adjacent property and they needed to turn off her water.

One of them gained entry to the house and tried to look inside the cupboard under the sink. She became suspicious and asked to see ID. He briefly showed her some type of card, but would not let her see it properly and quickly left. It is not believed anything was stolen.

The man is white, about 5ft 10in tall, in his twenties and of a slight build. He was clean shaven and had dark hair with a distinctive fringe. He was wearing a blue fleece-style jacket.

Det Con Sam Burley, from the Cherwell police area, said: "This lady was caught off guard because coincidentally she was expecting council workers to arrive at her home. But she quickly realised something was not right and did the right thing by asking to see their ID.

"Her stance made this man leave before he could steal anything. However, we would strongly advise to check ID before you let someone into your house, even if you are expecting a caller.

"I would urge anyone with elderly or vulnerable relatives, neighbours or carers to check their home security and alert them to the dangers of opening the door to a stranger.

"If these men have called at your home, or if you see people calling at houses and are suspicious of their intentions, I would urge you to contact police immediately."

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Det Con Burley via the police enquiry centre on 0845 8 505 505. If you don't want to talk to the police or give your name, call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.