An elderly couple were left “distressed and shaken” after a man posing as a roofer conned them out of �11,000.

The Dagenham couple, who do not want to be named, believed the man had replaced all their roof tiles and the wooden trusses that keep them in place.

But after handing over the cash the pair’s son-in-law visited on Friday last week and found that all the man had done was paint the roof tiles.

The family, who have no contact details for the “roofer”, have reported the scam to police.

The couple’s 51-year-old daughter said: “The whole thing has left my parents distressed and shaken. My mum was in tears after it happened.

“They don’t have a lot of money, so spending �11,000 and having nothing to show for it is devastating for them.”

She said the man knocked on her parents’ door around two weeks ago: “He said he’d noticed a few loose roof tiles.

“They allowed him to go on the roof to have a closer look and he said all the tiles needed replacing, which would cost �8,000. They handed the money over.”

The man then said the wooden trusses would also need replacing, at a cost of �3,000. The couple gave him the cash.

“He worked on the roof and my parents assumed he was doing what he said he would do,” the daughter said. “Later they mentioned the work to me and I became suspicious and sent my husband over.

“He turned up as the man was trying to get another �500 for VAT and noticed that all he had done was paint the roof.”

The man left without the �500, but the family have been unable to trace him since.

According to couple’s son-in-law, the man was white, in his 60s and bore a resemblance to the late comic Sid James.

“We want to warn people about this man so no one else false victim to his horrible scam,” she said.

Barking and Dagenham police said they are investigating.

Acting Supt Mike Hamer said: “Bogus callers and scammers prey on the trusting nature of our elderly and vulnerable residents.

“If you know or care for a vulnerable person please make sure that they know not to pay for any services on their doorstep.”

“If you think your neighbours may be the target of scammers call police immediately.”