A Whitton pensioner has spoken out after falling victim to debit card fraud, having had her life savings stolen from her.

Evelyn Grace Timms, 82, of Wills Crescent, had her cards stolen from her house by two men pretending to be from her banks, Halifax and NatWest.

Ms Timms, who suffers from dementia, received several calls from withheld numbers and was led to believe they were calling from her banks, so passed on the details they requested.

The same day two men pretending to be from the bank turned up at her house. In her vulnerable state, Ms Timms believed they were genuine employees and gave them her cards.

It wasn't until her daughter, Angie was shopping with her when she realised her mother did not have her debit cards with her. They checked her bank accounts and large sums of money had been stolen.

Her son, Robert, said: "Our mother is 82 years old and has been a widow since May 2018; she was diagnosed with early-stage dementia.

"Her deterioration has been gradual but we notice like many other vulnerable old age pensioners she has become trusting and regularly relies on the kindness of strangers.

"The caller said they needed her bank cards and pin number and would call in. My mother trusted them.

"She probably forgot she had received the call within five minutes. The two men come to her front door to ask for her bank cards and she hands them over."

Angie added: "I did stress to the bank that I didn’t want the new bank cards sent to mum as I had a feeling they would try again as she was such an easy target and unfortunately I was right as they came on February 8."

The family reported the incidents to police and have taken their mother's card and cash from her to make sure she doesn't fall victim to the crime again.

When they reported the fraud to the bank, Halifax quickly refunded the money that was lost, but Robert said NatWest was "rude and aggressive".

"They [NatWest] accused my sister of robbing her own mother. NatWest are saying that the robbers got the pin correct first time, but it seems there is no allowance for a first time act based on having dementia," he added.

"Halifax considered her a 'vulnerable customer' but NatWest won't consider this. They won't give her the stolen money back, which is part of her life savings."

NatWest has been approached for a comment.

Police are investigating the incident as a burglary.