POLICE are warning women across the country to be on their guard for a trickster with a strange fascination for feet.

The fetishist rings unsuspecting victims and claims to be a DJ for Capital Radio.

The caller promises them up to £3,000 and a year's supply of shoes, quoting sponsorship deals with a host of high street shoe stores.

He asks the woman a series of questions about their feet and tries to get them to agree to a bizarre task.

To win the top prize the victim is asked to find a stranger who will allow her to read a newspaper while resting her feet on the stranger's back.

His latest victim, complimentary therapist Ann Ball, 35, of Sherburn, County Durham, refused to do the task and became suspicious when the "DJ" failed to ring back as promised.

She called the radio station and was informed it was a hoax.

Mrs Ball said: "At first I thought it was genuine - you know what some of these radio DJs are like.

"I have got children so the shoes would have come in very handy.

"But then it dawned on me and I started thinking, what are they getting out of it?"

Mrs Ball said the man had a mature voice with a well-to-do accent.

A spokesman for Capital Radio said its customer service department had received several complaints about the calls.

The spokesman said: "This is someone who is trying to pass themselves off as a radio DJ but it is nothing to do with us. We do not call people out of the blue."

A police spokesman said: "We would always urge people to be suspicious of cold-callers.

"If in doubt they should ask for proper identification before agreeing to do anything. Alternatively they should ask for a number and ring back."

* Are you a victim of the foot fetishist? If so call The Northern Echo newsdesk on (01325) 505068.