A woman in her 70s was said to have been scammed out of thousands of pounds after cold callers claimed she needed work on her roof, a court heard.

Joel Wales, 23, of Moorends, Doncaster, and Marcus Wagner, 28, of Philips Road, Newark, were due before Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to answer an allegation of possession of criminal property.

It is said the men were in possession of £87,600-worth of criminally-acquired money between November and December 2017.

Prosecutor Tom Power said the charge related to an allegation that cold-calling tradesmen had knocked at the door of a Swindon woman in her 70s and were hired to do roofing work. She is said to have paid the sum, while the work done was “simply not worth £87,000”.

Neither man was present at court on Wednesday. Wagner’s case was adjourned to February 10 after representations from his lawyers. Magistrates issued a warrant for Wales’ arrest.