A PENSIONER has issued a warning to others after receiving a chain letter asking for money.

Valerie Peer, 66, of Cricklade Road, Swindon, received the letter by post on Saturday.

Written by a man called David Rhodes from Norfolk, the sender promises Mrs Peer up to £47,000 for an outlay of just £87.

But closer inspection of the letter reveals that she would need to post out more than 200 letters with stamps, to stand a chance of receiving that amount of money, and she should start by sending a £10 note to a person in Cornwall.

Mrs Peer said: "As soon as I saw it I thought I'd better warn other people in Swindon about it.

"It says for me to send £10 to the person on the top of the list. But even though I'm not fooled by it, I can imagine that some people, who may be a little gullible, or even have money worries might be tempted by it."

Robert Taylor, group leader at Swindon trading standards said: "No-one knows whether David Rhodes actually exists but these letters have been going around for ages.

"Basically you're wasting your money if you're tempted to reply to one of these letters."

People who receive chain letters but want more advice on them can visit the council's Safer Swindon Shop in Havelock Street, phone number525387.