The family of a grandmother who was driven to a bank by cold-callers who demanded she withdraw hundreds of pounds is warning other elderly people.

Maria Ranson received a knock at the door last Wednesday from a man and a woman who tried to persuade her to have her driveway relaid.

They quoted £550, but when the 89-year-old from Bearsted said she needed to speak to her family she was pressured to agree to the works and pay up front.

After explaining she didn’t have cash in the house, the couple put her in a car and drove her to a branch of NatWest in Sutton Road, Maidstone, for her to take out the full amount.

Mrs Ranson, who usually uses a wheelchair, was left to make her own way to the ATM, which swallowed her card after she exceeded the withdrawal amount.

"She was scared. Anything could have happened" - Chris Dowse

A bank employee helped her to get it back, but she was still only able to take out £250, at which point the man came into the bank to get her, claiming to be a neighbour. The couple drove her home, but didn’t take any of the money.

Her grandson Chris Dowse believes the cold-callers were scared off after the clerk began to ask questions about whether she was being pressured to pay the man – and that he would have been caught on CCTV.

They gave Mrs Ranson a business card, but the number turned out to be a fake, and she has not heard from them since.

Mr Dowse fears things could have been much worse. He said: “She was scared. Anything could have happened, they could have left her by the side of the road and taken all her money.

"She’s cried a lot since it happened, I don’t think the danger of it hit her until the next day. You hear about people targeting older people but you never think it will be your nan.”

The man was in his 50s with a moustache and grey hair. The woman was in her 40s.

The matter has been investigated and though no crime has been committed, it is regarded as a suspicious incident and officers have spoken to the woman concerned and issued advice.

DCI Neil Parker said: "We are working to identify the individuals concerned and have CCTV which detectives are examining.

"Though in this instance no actual crime was committed it is important that we understand the intent of the men that called at this lady’s house and take appropriate action if required.

"We work closely with our partners in Trading Standards and take any incidents of this nature extremely seriously. Our advice is simple, never do business on your door step and use reputable trade people."