A PENSIONER from Malvern who has dedicated her life to helping others was scammed out of £550 by a rogue builder.

Diana Caldicott, aged 86, handed over the cash to a man who had offered to fix tiling and the pointing on her home in Albert Road South.

At first everything seemed in order, but after she popped out to the shops for just 20 minutes she returned to find he had done a runner, taking the cash and leaving the work barely started.

Mrs Caldicott, who was made an MBE for services to charity last year in recognition of her four decades with the WRVS laundry service in Malvern, said she felt stupid and “really cross” with herself.

The man had first knocked on her door offering to fix some loose tiles he had spotted. As Mrs Caldicott took him through the house he noticed a leak from the roof into the porchway, and offered to fix it all for £350.

“He said he would come back a few days later but I thought the price was very cheap, as that sort of work is very time consuming, and expected he would ask for more,”

said Mrs Caldicott.

“He came back as promised but he suggested £600 but I told him no and we agreed on £550.” On this occasion he was accompanied by another man, and they started work. But soon he told Mrs Caldicott he would need the money to cover the cost of materials.

“As I handed it over he was on the phone and said he was going to get a friend and the materials,” she continued.“I went out and when I got back there was no sign of them.

“I thought perhaps they were getting the materials but by the evening I knew for certain that I had been done.”

She believes what happened was “opportunist” and she regretted handing over all the money.

“I think it was the fact he was on the phone that threw me. Ordinarily I would have asked him how much he needed for the materials and just given him that.”

Mrs Caldicott’s friend John McCarry said he was shocked when he found out what had happened.

“I think picking on someone who is 86 years old and has dedicated so much of her life to helping other people is wicked,” he said.

Mrs Caldicott contacted the police, who called round to interview her but will not be taking proceedings any further as it is considered a civil matter, of the type handled by trading standards.

Mrs Caldicott does not even have a record of the man’s name, and has accepted that she will not get the money back.

However she hopes that her experience will serve as a warning to others. “I’d just encourage people to be on their guard, especially when handing over money. There have been warnings about distraction burglary in the Gazette and clearly there are some dishonest people out there,” she said.