People are being warned to be wary of any scammers claiming to be from the council after a Watford resident was targeted.

Someone rang the resident saying they were from Hertfordshire County Council and told them there was now a £30 charge for essential food parcels.

They then asked for personal and financial information.

When the resident refused give them anything, the caller apparently became "quite nasty", according to an email from a neighbourhood watch officer. At this point, the resident hung up on the scammer.

The council will never contact residents out of the blue, asking for personal or financial details.

If you receive a call that you suspect to be a scam, Hertfordshire County Council Trading Standards has advised residents to tell the caller to put everything in writing.

You can then contact the council using details from a trustworthy source, such as a bill or the council's website.

Do not use any contact details given to you by the caller, as you could be connected to another fraudster.