Police in Carlisle helped an elderly man worried that a paving specialist he paid in cash had scammed him.

On Thursday, two Police Community Support Officers came to the aid of an elderly man who had paid £500 in cash to a paving specialist, before the job had been finished.

The man took the cash and after an hour had not returned to finish the job.

The two PCSOs got in touch with the paving specialist's boss, and eventually established that the man was indeed legitimate.

A spokesman for Cumbria Police said: "Incidents like this don’t always end up with a happy ending.

"Always make sure you check out the credibility and the legitimacy of those who are carrying out the work."