An elderly woman received 285 scam letters in six months and was conned out of £1500.

The 82-year-old woman from St Leonards-on-Sea realised she had been a victim thanks to Sussex Police anti-fraud campaign Operation Signature.

PCSO Nigel Ball visited her and found that she had received almost 300 letters in half a year.

Sergeant Dave Townsend from the Hastings neighbourhood police team said: "The letters were sent in plain white envelopes, completely innocuous. All of the post received was specifically addressed to the recipient by name - they did not read 'to the occupier'.

"Most of the letters were from spurious clairvoyants with promises of winning a vast fortune on a certain date. Others were for fake lottery wins.

“All of the letters were written in a friendly tone and often used the lady's name in the text to entice and draw in. It is as though the scammers are creating a veil of trust by being so familiar.

The woman now no longer opens the letters and they have all been taken by police.

Sergeant Townsend said: "If you fear that someone you know is being bombarded with scam letters, please do not hesitate to report this to us.

“We will visit to offer advice and reassurance to victims or potential victims. Contact us online via our website www.sussex.police.uk, email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call us on 101."