A 95-YEAR-OLD Second World War soldier fell victim to conmen demanding £700 for tree pruning - on the day he was handed France's highest honour.

Two men approached the man as he was leaving his home in Eversley Grove Malvern and asked about cutting a tree at the back of the garden at 1pm yesterday (Thursday).

An initial price of £40 was agreed.

The man went out to the shop and when returned the pair had disappeared.

They returned a few minutes later and demanded £700 threatening that if he did not pay they would throw all of the rubbish back into the garden.

Refusing to leave, they would not accept a cheque but eventually left his house after being given £200.

He described the pair as two white men, one aged between 35to 40 years old wearing a yellow hi-viz vest.

The other man was younger and did not speak and they arrived n a white van with ladders on it.

A similar incident happened around the corner in Pickersleigh Grove at 12pm.

An unknown white man knocked on the window of the home.

The person living inside opened the front door and spoke to the man who claimed he was from "Fortis'"and that the trees in the garden needed to be cut due to drainage issues.

He claimed the work would cost £200.

The man was allowed in to the house and followed the home owner through the kitchen and in to the bedroom.

He was handed cash but handed it back saying that he was in the wrong property.

No money was taken and the man left.

House to house enquiries within the area revealed the men had been offering their services to clean roofs and guttering.

The 95-year-old victim at Eversley Grove opened a package he had received that day while PCSO Steve Freeman was conducting initial enquiries and offering reassurance.

The package contained the "Chevalier de la legion d'honneur" awarded by the French Government for his efforts in liberating France from their occupation during World War Two.

The 95-year-old was extremely pleased to receive the medal and recalled his time with the Royal Artillery Regiment.

Rogue trading is a UK-wide problem with evidence suggesting a number of burglars associate with rogue traders. Rogue traders often travel vast distances to commit offences.

It is not illegal for traders to sell at the door.

Legitimate callers will not mind if you shut and lock the door while you verify that they are genuine.

Rogue traders often offer gardening work or maintenance services at attractive rates but the quality of work is substandard, unnecessary or overpriced.

They often use persuasive sales techniques to encourage people into making hasty decisions.

Anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of any doorstep offender or rogue trader should ring their local police or call Crimestoppers, the national charity, anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Anyone with information regarding any of the above incidents should call 101 and quote the reference number 0289S 031215