A thief pretended to be a policeman after stealing a purse from Malmesbury shopkeeper Shirley Wall.

Mrs Wall, 56, had not realised her purse had been stolen when she was called by someone purporting to be from Malmesbury police saying it had been handed in and would be returned.

When it was not returned, Mrs Wall, of Kayleigh's fruit and vegetable shop in The Gant, called the police, only to discover they knew nothing about the matter.

"It is so annoying to think I could be so easily conned like that," said Mrs Wall, who believes her purse was stolen from behind the counter after a man distracted her by asking for something at the back of the shop.

"When they phoned they asked if my PIN number was with the card. I said it wasn't, but I can't believe I was actually talking to the person who stole it, it makes me so mad." The purse contained about £15 in cash and a cash card for a bank account which is empty.

PC Tim Peffers said: "I've seen this happen before, where they will phone up and say they are police to stop the person from cancelling their cards and give them free reign on a day's shopping spree."