Residents have told how they were verbally abused on their own doorsteps by a foul-mouthed caller at night.

People living in several roads in Sittingbourne have said they were sworn at after answering knocks on the door yesterday evening.

Swale council member for Woodstock, Cllr Paul Stephen (Swale Ind), opened the door at his Ruins Barn Road home just after 7pm.

He said: "It was that time of night when it was pitch black and I opened the door because I saw a lorry outside and I thought it might be a delivery.

"As soon as I opened the door a man, who was quite stocky, shoved a piece of paper at me and started talking.

"He was quite jovial but I said I wasn't interested at that time of night."

When Cllr Stephen, whose wife Sarah is also a councillor, went to shut the door the man swore at him.

"Common sense would say you don't knock on people's doors when it's dark..." Cllr Paul Stephen (Swale Ind)

"Common sense would say you don't knock on people's doors when it's dark," he said.

"I can handle myself but it shook me because I knew my wife was due to return any minute."

There were several reports of a man and a woman with northern accents approaching people.

A woman also swore at a man just after he returned home to Canterbury Road from work.

Matt Ramsden had just got home at about 5.15pm when he answered the door to a woman.

He said: "I opened the door and there was a woman there, she spoke really quickly.

"I had the impression she wanted money out of me so I said 'sorry I'm not interested'."

It is then that she called him a four-letter word.

"I didn't think anymore of it at the time, I found it kind of funny," he added.

"But I later saw on Facebook that several other people had been abused on their doorsteps. You get lots of cold callers, but it's the first time I've known such hostility."

Former councillor Sarah Aldridge said she had a knock at the door at about 2.50pm.

She said: "I had just got in from the office and I still had my coat on.

"The woman was very rude when I told her I wasn't interested."

Police are asking anyone with information to call them on 01795 419119 quoting reference 46/200262/19.

Read more: All the latest news from Sittingbourne