DRIVING a couple of crooked intruders out of your home takes considerable courage, particularly when you are in your 70s.

So we congratulate David and Joan Swan for doing just that when two men flashed fake ID cards at them and barged into their house on the pretext of doing work there.

It's only because of their presence of mind that two would-be thieves fled without the money or goods they had hoped to steal.

Unfortunately too many elderly people have recently become victims of bogus callers. Many of them have simply been too trusting. It hasn't occurred to them that the respectable looking individual who rings their doorbell could be a crook.

The sad fact is that elderly people cannot afford to open their doors wide to strangers. We must all do our best to get this simple message across to vulnerable relatives, neighbours and friends.

Don't let anyone in without checking their identity first. If in doubt keep them out.

Conmen don't deserve good manners. Other people will forgive you.