A local authority has issued a warning to its residents about bogus callers.

It follows an incident yesterday in the Sandhurst Road area of Tunbridge Wells.

A man wearing a high-vis jacket called at the home of an elderly person and said he was a worker from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) doing a job at the house next door.

He said there was a tree with diseased roots that had spread to the elderly resident's garden.

The man asked for cash in order to carry out work to the tree, and the resident gave him £50.

No work was carried out.

TWBC has now issued a reminder to residents that council workers do not operate in this way, that staff will always carry identification, and that they would never ask for a cash payment.

Residents should always check the ID of anyone saying they are from the authority, and that they should call the police if they have any doubts.

Kent Police has been approached for comment.