AN 85-year-old woman hit a man over the head with a handbag after her husband was tricked into letting three men posing as engineers in to the house.
Police are now hunting the trio who conned the elderly couple out of nearly £200 after pretending to check for water leaks.
Officers are now appealing for information in catching the three - and are urging residents to be vigilant.

The three men struck at around noon last Wednesday at the home of an 88-year-old man on Heywood Street, Bury.

They said they were fixing nearby drain and asked to come into the house, and whether he could run the upstairs tap so they could check for leaks.

But when the victim came back downstairs, he found the three searching his house.

One of the men then went upstairs, while another entered the living room where the victim’s wife was sitting and started to search her handbag.

She defended herself, grabbing her handbag from the offender and using it to hit him around the head.

All three men then left, and the victims discovered that £180 in cash was missing from the house.

The main offender is described as white, in his early 30s, with a stocky build. He was wearing dirty clothing and spoke with a local accent.

Constable Matt Marquis said: “These men were brazen in their attempts to search the house for any property they could steal.

“After using a weak story to gain access to the house, they wasted no time combing the rooms for cash and valuables and left this man and his wife out of pocket.

“Men like these target those they believe to be vulnerable, but they obviously did not realise that both victims were willing to defend themselves and their own, and when she started attacking them with her handbag they left rather swiftly.

“I would like anyone who believes they may have seen these men in the area at the time to contact police, but also be mindful should any unsolicited callers come knocking at your door.

“They may not be what they seem.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.