Police are urging residents to be extra vigilant after a fraudster conned a vulnerable 76 year old Sandbach man out of around £600.

And the man's daughter, Sophie Douglas, a community nurse from Sandbach Heath, has set up a Go FundMe page to raise cash to help her dad.

Sophie, said her family are in bits over what has happened but are knocked out by the generosity of local people who have donated to the page.

"The community have all rallied round to help. We just can't believe how generous people have been.

"When I told my dad about the page he was brought to tears. He just can't believe how generous people have been."

Sophie's dad, Owen Ward, was on the town's Waitrose car park when he was approached by an unknown man.

The fraudster told Sophie's dad a story about him needing money to fill his rented car with petrol to get back to Heathrow Airport as he was unable to withdraw cash from the bank and was given around £100.

Following a conversation between the pair, Owen was persuaded to purchase 30 watches for around £500.

The man then followed the Owen back to his home and then onto Sandbach Post Office where he withdrew £500 which he passed to the suspect.

Police have issued some advice to prevent it happening again.

Inspector Jim Adams from Congleton and Sandbach Local Policing Unit, said: "Sadly fraudsters target some of the most vulnerable people in our community, often persuading them to hand over large amounts of money for goods and services – many of which don't exist or are worthless.

"While we are committed to doing all that we can to stop fake sales, close down fraudulent websites and ultimately bring those responsible to justice, there are also a number of simple steps that everyone can take to protect themselves and others from falling victims to these crimes.

"If you are approached unexpectedly, whether that be face-to-face, over the phone or via email, remember to:

• Stop: Taking a moment to think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
• Challenge: Could it be fake? It is okay to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
• Protect: Contact your bank immediately if you think you have fallen victim to a scam and report it to the police or contact Action Fraud.

"If you think you have fallen for a scam contact your bank immediately and report it to Cheshire Constabulary on 101. Alternatively, you can contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via actionfraud.police.uk."

You can report suspicious texts by forwarding the original message to 7726, which spells SPAM on your keypad.

You can report suspicious emails by forwarding the original message to [email protected].

Meanwhile donations are still flooding into the GoFundMe page but more are welcome.