A SUSPECTED bogus charity caller is being sought by police after falsely claiming to be raising money for a riding marathon at the Lee Valley Riding School, in Leyton.

The woman has been calling door-to-door claiming to be collecting on behalf of the NSPCC and asking residents for money for a sponsored ride.

Stuart Welton, who lives in Dale Gardens, Woodford Green, said: "My wife had a visit from this girl who claimed to be representing the riding school and she gave her a couple of quid then she phoned the riding school and they said it was nothing to do with them and they had had other calls about it."

Three days later on Friday, January 9, Mr Welton's mother who lives in Monkhams Drive was targeted but thought nothing more of it until an elderly neighbour told her she had been approached by a young woman claiming to represent the NSPCC.

The woman had asked to use her toilet and after she left, the elderly woman noticed that her purse had gone missing.

A spokeswoman for the Lea Bridge Road based riding school said: "We have had many emails and calls about this. We don't do sponsored rides or anything like that at all and if we did it would be well advertised with details on a proper headed letter. I can't see why anyone would do this."

Mr Welton said: "The thing that is worst about it is that my wife says she is not going to give money to people at the door any more so it's the genuine charities that lose out."

The woman is described as white, about 5ft 7ins tall, aged from 18 to 28, with auburn or chestnut, frizzy, collar-length hair. She is slim and was wearing a green raincoat and a woolly hat. She may have a slight speech impediment.

NSPCC London fundraising organiser Cliff Rich said: "We would put an envelope through the door and go back to collect it at a nominated time. If people have any doubts and feel they are not sure about the person they should call the police."

Anyone with information should call DC Dan Stanbrook-Evans at Ilford police on 8345 2611.