Police have spoken of their satisfaction after two men were jailed for ten months conning a pensioner into paying them thousands of pounds for gardening work theynever did.

Tony Delaney and John Sykes pocketed £2,000 for their shoddy work after returning a number of times to their vulnerable victim.

A judge at Swindon Crown Court heard that the men intimidated the householder in The Laggar, Corsham, over a week last year.

Marion Langford, prosecuting, said Delaney, 34, and Sykes, 21, who both live at Thingley Caravan Park on Easton Lane, Thingley, near Chippenham, had been calling door to door in Corsham in late November looking for work.

They went to Adrian Wilson’s property after seeing the garden was untidy and offered to do some work for £200.

She said they spent 45 minutes in the front and when he asked if the price covered the back garden they told him it didn’t and that would cost £600.

They also said he now owed them £500 so he went and got the cash from the bank and gave it to them.

But Miss Langford said the men retuned on three other occasions taking £500 each time until Mr Wilson told his bank manager what was happening.

He called the police and when the men returned a few days later and said they were going to do some further work for £1,500 they were arrested.

When they were questioned by police they said they thought the work they had done was reasonable for the fees charged.

Delaney and Sykes each pleaded guilty to fraud.

The court heard both had previous convictions.

Sykes was ordered to pay £2,000 compensation.

DS Sarah Billinge of Wiltshire Police CID who led the investigation said: "This is a particularly callous crime which targeted an elderly member of our community.

"These people, often referred to as rogue traders, call on householders uninvited and often use intimidating levels of persuasion to get them to agree to accept their services.

"We work closely with partner organisations to respond to all reports of this nature and ensure all necessary action is taken."