Quick-thinking bank workers prevented a vulnerable man from being conned out of £16,000 by a bogus builder.

The 48-year-old was at home in North Cheam when a supposed builder called at his house and told him he needed work doing on his roof on Saturday, May 18.

The builder removed some tiles from the roof and told the man, who has learning difficulties, the work would cost £16,000.

The customer agreed to take the Monday off work to collect the cash from his bank.

But managers at the man's bank, Lloyds TSB in Sutton High Street, became concerned at the out-of-character request for a large sum of money and when they heard it was in settlement for a verbal estimate for work to his roof they called police.

Police Constable Simon Curzon spoke to the man and used contact details from a business card the builder left with him to get in touch.

He invited him to the police station to get further information but the builder accused PC Curzon of being a "bogus officer" and declined the invitation.

The officer inspected the man's roof and found only minor work was required.

PC Curzon said: "Here was a customer who had got sucked in to what he had been told by the builders and what they wanted.

"He had received nothing in writing from them about the work or its cost and he was going to take the money out and hand it over to them.

"The bank acted quickly to identify and protect a vulnerable customer under suspicious circumstances - and in doing so provide outstanding customer service. The bank staff were absolutely fantastic."

"By calling police, the bank was following protocols set out in an agreement between Sutton's banks, police and Sutton Council's trading standards department to protect customers.

"Banks are encouraged to contact police if they are suspicious about a customer making a large withdrawal."