RETIRED bobby Robert Sanders from Dorchester was flooded with 17 cash prize letters in just over a month.

Mr Sanders, 67, who is married to Janet, received one letter every two days during July and August telling him he had won up to £20,000.

But the companies also ordered him to send between £9 and £20 to 'cover expenses' before he would be paid the cash.

Mr Sanders, who lives in Mistover Close in Dorchester, said: "They've come from Australia, Canada and all the world.

"They have come from different companies but they all have claim vouchers telling me to send money back before I receive my winnings.

"I have received 17 in 36 days offering prizes of such amounts as £2,000, £10,000 and £19,500. It is getting ridiculous.

"I reckon I have been offered more than £100,000. I have ripped most of them up and thrown them in the bin in disgust."

Mr Sanders, who was a policeman at the Winfrith Atomic Energy Establishment, says he is not aware of having entered any competitions which would have provided his name and address, or of putting his name on any forms.

He is concerned that the offers may be tricks to take money from people or not what they seem with other contracts involved.

Mr Sanders said: "I am quite annoyed about it, but also concerned about the effect on some people.

"Gullible people could be taken in and pensioners may find it upsetting. They may feel they should reply and then lose their money. People should be warned."

Dorset trading standards and Age Concern warned householders not to reply to the letters.

Principal trading standards officer Richard Herringshaw said that letters came from a range of firms, such as timeshare and salesmen, as well as people trying to defraud householders.

He added that some may be genuine but that many may end up costing people more money than they would win.

Wendy Hilton, chief officer of the Dorchester branch of Age Concern, said: "If people are worried they should take the letters to trading standard or to us and we will take them to trading standards.

"There is also a free mail preference service people can sign up to stop the letters getting through."

Call 0207 2913310 to register with the mail preference service and 0845 0700707 to halt telephone salesmen.