A FORMER special constable has told of his fear after he was targeted by conmen for the third time in weeks at his Dorchester home.

Mervyn Cooper, 91, who served with the special constabulary for nearly 40 years, was robbed of more than £700 when a man claiming to be a gardener followed him into his bungalow in Celtic Crescent.

He says the man had cut his hedge before demanding £800 for the work and when he went to get the money from a bureau his hands were shaking and he dropped the cash.

The man grabbed it and ran out, but Mr Cooper did not call the police, fearing that the man would come back and attack him.

The next day two men, one in his 20s, called on Mr Cooper driving a yellow builders' truck and said they wanted to speak to him about his hedge. When he had gone Mr Cooper discovered that the lid of the bureau had been gouged at with a screwdriver.

In the latest incident a man and a woman called at the house saying they were police officers and claiming they wanted to talk to him about installing a security camera after his recent burglary. But this time Mr Cooper did not leave them alone and the pair left empty-handed after a few minutes.

Retired pig farmer Mr Cooper, whose wife Mary died last year, said: "The first time the man said he was sorry to hear about my wife and that he used to do the hedges for her.

"He had already done the work and I thought if I didn't pay the money he might go for me - it's only money, compared to your life.

"Then I reckon they got wind of the money in my bureau and told their people about it - I'm pretty sure they were all in the same crowd, probably a man and his son and daughter, because they all talked the same way, quickly, without giving you time to think. I was just worried about getting knocked about, but when the third lot came I thought I'd better call the police."

Mr Cooper, who only recently gave up driving and served as a special constable until he was 70, added: "Criminals have got out of hand these days - I'd like to get hold of them."

Inspector Andy Mason of Dorchester Police said: "Bogus callers are a problem throughout the South West and we are working in conjunction with other police forces in an operation to combat this.

"Some of the conmen have false identity cards, but people can set up passwords with utility companies to ensure that the representative is genuine.

"Certainly, if they are worried that someone is not genuine they should telephone the company to verify who the caller is.

"If anybody finds themselves in Mr Cooper's position, where people are asking for money when they did not ask for the work to be done, they should ring 999."