Police are looking for a man who turned up at an elderly woman's door to collect money requested over the phone by a fake police officer.

The man attended the address in Thorrington, near Colchester, the morning after the woman received a call from a man claiming to be a police officer and requesting money to release a member of her family from custody.

Essex Police said the man turned up in Clacton Road to collect the money between 10.05am and 10.25am on Thursday, May 20.

He was wearing dark tracksuit bottoms, a dark jacket, white trainers and carrying a dark backpack.

Pc Ben Stammers, of Clacton CID, said: “Our officers would never call someone and ask them for monies.

"If you receive a call from anyone purporting to be a police officer but asking for money, please hang up. Use another phone to call us on 101 to report this to us.

"If it is a real officer, they will provide their details and you can check when you call us.”

If you can help police with the investigation, call Clacton CID on 101, quoting 42/94941/21.