A warning has gone out about bogus water officials who claim to be checking for suspected leaks.

Police say two men have been touring the Shoreham Beach area telling residents there has been a problem.

The offenders talk their way inside homes and, while one takes the householder to turn on the bathroom taps, the other searches for valuables.

In one case, cash and credit cards were taken from a 78-year-old woman's house in Old Fort Road.

In a second incident, an elderly couple in Riverside had a small amount of cash taken by two men fitting the same description.

They also asked them for the registration numbers from their pension books, but they refused.

The men are described as white, 6ft tall and in their early twenties.

Anyone with information is asked to call Shoreham police on 0845 60 70 999.