Anthony Evans told his 88-year-old victim she needed urgent repairs to
her home which he would carry out.

As a result the she handed over more than £1,000 in return
for poor quality work - and the disposal of a squirrels nest which never existed.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Evans, 38, was on licence from a prison sentence for a similar scam where he had targeted OAPs living in South Shields, Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham.

Prosecutor Simon Worthy told the court: "He went to the loft and reported to her she had a squirrels' nest in the loft and it would need to be removed immediately.

"There seems to have been a somewhat bizarre performance whereby some straw was put in a Morrison's bag and he brought it downstairs.

"His victim asked where the squirrel was and he said it must have run
away."

Evans was arrested after Mrs Whitton told a neighbour what had been going on and an investigation was lauched.

Evans, of Ribble Walk, Darlington, admitted making a false representation.

Mr Recorder Ben Nolan jailed Evans for three years.

Read the full story in tomorrow's Shields Gazette.