A woman in her early 90s has been conned out of £60,000 by bogus lotteries and competitions run from abroad.

Trading standards officers say they are 'staggered' by the case, but have warned that it is not an isolated incident.

The woman, who does not want to be named, is from the Whitby area of North Yorkshire. For the last ten years she has been responding to letters from America and Canada asking her to send £15 to £20 in the hope of receiving a large cash payment.

Relatives estimate that she has sent off about £60,000.

In return, all she has received has been cheap gifts and jewellery.

The same woman also nearly fell prey to another scam when a telephone caller told her to send £400 to process a lottery win from the USA.

North Yorkshire County Council's trading standards department was alerted to her plight by a GP and a friend, who noticed the unusually large amount of mail that she was receiving.

When officers visited her home they found box after box of letters and packages resulting from the scam.

Incredibly, despite being told that she has no chance of winning, the woman has continued to send off cash.

Divisional trading standards officer, Len Swift said: "We are staggered by this case. The lady is in very good health. She is physically and mentally all right, apart from the fact that she likes doing this.

"She is quite fortunate in that she does have quite a substantial private income, but she lives in a house that could be double glazed and could have new central heating.

"This is probably the worst example that we have had, but it is not an isolated example. We have even heard of people who have been selling furniture so that they can get the money to pay for this.

"We are not dealing with people who are silly or confused or vulnerable. It is a compulsion and that is why it is insidious."

Officers are now working with her relatives to try and stop her sending off any more money, but say that because the scams are run from overseas, their enforcement powers are limited.

However it has been reported to the Office of Fair Trading and authorities in the relevant countries have taken action against some of the people involved.