A vigilant bank cashier saved a pensioner from being conned out of her life’s savings.

Joyce Boakye-Ansah became suspicious when one of her regular customers asked to withdraw £15,000 in cash at the Selsdon branch of Nationwide in March.

The 86-year-old told Mrs Boakye-Ansah she needed to pay two men who had cold-called to warn that her roof needed urgent repairs.

The callous pair waited at the pensioner’s house while she withdrew money, having already paid £8,000 in cash.

The alarmed Mrs Boakye-Ansah told her branch manager, who called the police and Croydon Council’s trading standards team.

By the time officers arrived at the victim’s home, the two conmen had disappeared.

Mrs Boakye-Ansah, who has been awarded a certificate of appreciation from the trading standards team, said: “How can they do that to somebody who’s 70, 80, 90-years-old, who’s given so much through their life?

"I’m just glad we were able to help her.”

The men planned to charge the pensioner £21,000 to apply a weather-proof coating a qualified surveyor later confirmed was unnecessary and worth only £3,640.

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