An elderly widow who was conned out of £20,000 life savings by a bogus builder became a victim for a second time after she was targeted by a gang of burglars.

The 84-year-old, who The Northern Echo is not naming, was bullied into letting the two men and a woman in after they told her guttering on her home needed repairing.

Teesside Crown court heard that some time before the incident, in March, the victim had been swindled out of £20,000 by a bogus builder, who was later jailed for three years for the offence.

Michael Bosomworth, prosecuting, said in the latest incident the victim had been at her home in Horden, East Durham, on March 10, when there was a knock at her door.

She ignored it at first but the knocking persisted and she opened the door to find Sharlene Owens, 26, and a man at her door.

Owens, who had ripped off part of the guttering, held it up and said it needed repairing and tried to get the woman to go outside to look at it.

She refused but they then made up excuses of needing to use the toilet and to make a phone call to gain entry to the property before another man arrived at the scene.

Mr Bosomworth said: "She attempted to push them out of the door but was unsuccessful.

"They made their way into the kitchen. In her statement she said they had bamboozled her.

"She was prevailed upon in her night dress to go outside and have a look."

The court heard while she was outside one of the men, either Gary Young or Mark Turner, went into her bedroom and stole her handbag, wedding ring, £90 in cash, and a bank card.

He also took a ring the victim's husband had given her for their 50th wedding anniversary.

When the woman went back inside she realised what had happened and shouted at the burglars who ran off.

Quick-thinking neighbours, who were suspicious of the gang, wrote down the registration number of the van used in their getaway and police were able to trace them.

Owens was later discovered to have tried to use the stolen bank card to buys goods at a convenience store.

The court heard the victim was now scared to answer her door and felt shut off from the world.

Barristers for the three defendants apologised on their behalf and said they deeply regretted what they had done Jailing the gang, Judge Peter Fox, said: "It was a despicable offence against a very vulnerable and frail old lady who had already suffered and continues to suffer because of what you did."

Owens, of Uppingham Street, Hartlepool, was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to burglary and attempting to obtain property by deception.

Young, 33, of Stirling Street, and Turner, 33, of Elliot Court, both Hartlepool, were both jailed for five years after admitting burglary.