A MAN has been left hundreds of pounds out of pocket after scammers conned him in to paying £320 for a bottle of water from Aldi.

Police said the victim had been approached by two men in Great Harwood offering him a laptop and mobile phone for £320. The man thought he was making a legitimate transaction but when he later opened the laptop bag he had been given it actually contained a two litre bottle of water.

Police have issued a suspect and vehicle description believed to have been involved in the incident in Park Street at 2pm on Saturday.

Officers have also warned residents to be on alert following the incident and said it is a version of an old scam from a few years ago.

PC Anna Gavela said: "About 2 pm on August 6 two men in a grey Vauxhall Vectra registration FH05 NFC, but believed to be using cloned number plates, approached a victim on Park Street, Great Harwood and asked if he wanted to buy a mobile phone and a laptop.

"The victim handed over £320 and received a laptop bag. However, when he checked in the bag it only contained a two litre bottle of water from Aldi.

"The two suspects are described as white, aged 35to 45-years-old. One was stout and bald and the other was of medium build with ginger hair.

"I urge the public to treat any offers of cheap goods with suspicion and make sure they but such items from reputable dealers. As the old saying goes 'if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is'. "This scam was common about three or four years ago but it appears criminals have decided to resurrect this method of defrauding victims."

Meanwhile community leaders have also warned the public to be on their guard.

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said: "People need to be careful of scammers. There are a lot of them around. The law isn't strong enough in this respect. Anyone found to be committing fraud should far more severe punishment."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 and quote crime reference number ED1611888.