Anglian Water has issued a warning to customers in Norfolk and Suffolk to take care against bogus callers this winter.

The water company said to be aware of distraction burglaries - when a person tries to gain access to homes by pretending to be officials in the area.

It warned that often callers will pretend to be from the 'water board', but this organisation has not existed for decades.

Reported cases of criminal activity goes up during the darker evenings, the firm said.

It highlighted that people aged 65 or above are particularly at risk, saying that 50pc of this age group being targeted by criminals and scams but only 5pc are reported.

“Unfortunately, at this time of year we hear of a lot more cases of our customers being targeted by fraudsters," said Bethanie Kennedy from Anglian Water.

"All too often bogus callers will claim to be from the ‘water board’ – even though this organisation hasn’t existed for over 40 years."

To help keep customers safe, Anglian Water helped found Utilities Against Scams, an initiative which focuses on raising awareness around scams as a growing issue affecting many people.

Ms Kennedy added: “We want all of our customers to feel safe in their own home which is why we’re incredibly proud to be working in partnership with trusted organisations across our region to ensure our customers are supported.

"The work we’ve done with colleagues at Cadent Gas, alongside the commitment we continue to show to Utilities Against Scams, are two great examples of how effective partnerships can benefit those most in need.

“Making sure our customers know we have services such as our password scheme, which can be used to add an extra layer of protection on their account, is essential.

"We want to ensure that our customers who may benefit from some additional support are signed up to our Priority Services Register."

Anglian Water customers looking for more information can call its specialist Priority Services team on 0800 232 1951 or visit anglianwater.co.uk/priority online.