A GROUP of friends in Swindon were so moved by the story in the Adver in which an elderly woman lost more than £1,000 to a conman they have set about fundraising to try and replace her cash.

We reported on an 82-year-old from Greenmeadow who answered her door last week to a man holding a roof tile. He told her it had fallen off her house as there must be squirrels nesting there and he claimed he could fix it.

He duped the woman into giving him £300 for the work and then took her into the back garden to show her what he claimed were squirrel holes but he ran back inside and made off with £1,000.

Now Natasha Maguire and two friends, Tina Cox and and Lisa Robson have set the ball rolling with £60 and are appealing to other kind-hearted people to make a donation.

"People can give as little or as much as they like," said Natasha.

"We just want this poor woman to know there are good people out there. We can't bear the thought of her feeling vulnerable, especially at this time of the year."

And she added: "It's not just about the money. We have to look after our elderly, they are really precious. It is important for them to know people care about them."

Anyone who would like to make a donation, however small can do so at crowdfunding.justgiving.com/tina-cox

The Swindon Advertiser will keep you up-to-date with how the fundraising is progressing over the next few weeks.