TEENAGE conmen are using the guise of a children’s cancer charity to try and get money out of unsuspecting residents, police have said.

The twisted trio, aged about 15, have downloaded the logo of the CLIC Sargent charity and stuck it on a makeshift sponsor form.

They have then knocked on doors around Weymouth, dressed in their school uniforms, and invited people to sponsor them for a forthcoming charity walk.

But the walk is almost certainly not going to happen – it’s just a con to get money out of residents, says PC Mike Green of Weymouth and Portland police.

One of the areas they targeted was Brunswick Terrace along the seafront.

Rosemary Brunt, owner of the Brunswick Guesthouse, handed over £5 to two of the teenagers when they knocked on her door and said she feels ‘conned’.

She said: “They came to the door and said they were doing a walk for CLIC Sargent.

“I signed the form and they said they wanted the money now. They said everybody else was paying now.

“At the time I didn’t even look for a card or anything, as I had all my family here and I was in a rush.”

Mrs Brunt said it was only after talking to fellow guesthouse owners that she realised what had happened and she discovered several others had also lost out.

She said: “Now I realise we were all conned. I’m really cross because it was for CLIC Sargent who I have raised money for in the past.

“I would not give my money to someone like that again unless they came back having done the walk and had proper identification.”

Joanne Thomas said her husband Keith, with whom she owns the Lyndale Guesthouse, also gave £5 to the collectors.

She said: “You trust these people and my husband said they seemed genuine, but you should always get them to come back and show identification.”

The youngsters left some properties empty-handed because suspicions were raised and they weren’t carrying identification.

Peter Penman who runs the Horizon Guesthouse in Brunswick Terrace said: “I looked at the form and it was full of names and addresses but in the same writing and the signatures were similar. Also, the amounts were all £5 which I thought was a bit strange.

“When they realised I was onto them they left a bit sharpish.”

Sgt Tony Smith, from Weymouth and Portland police’s Safer Neighbourhood Team, added: “We really want to put a warning out that these people are out claiming they were doing a sponsored walk in aid of charity and it’s a scam.

“We also want any other people that have been subject to this scam to let us know.”

Sgt Smith said that three people had been arrested in connection with the claims.

PC Mike Green said he had contacted the charity and confirmed it had not endorsed the walk or handed out sponsor forms.

Anyone who encounters the bogus collectors, or has been approached recently, is asked to contact Weymouth police on 01305 222222.

Manager of the CLIC Sargent charity shop in Weymouth, Tracy Stagg said: “I think it’s very sad that people would do this.”

She said the charity helps children and young people with cancer and their families with the ‘trauma of diagnosis and the often long journey through treatment.’ Mrs Stagg’s son Christopher Lloyd was struck down with cancer aged eight but made a full recovery. She added: “Ten families discover each day a family member has cancer.

“I hope the young men involved in this do not have a family member who gets cancer.”