Social services chiefs and police have issued a warning about a bogus social worker who has been operating in Wales.

The warning has been prompted by the discovery of a letter which purports to be from Vale of Glamorgan Council Social Services directorate and bears a copy of the authority's official logo.

The council is worried that the letter could be used by a person purporting to be a social worker to try and gain access to local homes.

Councillor Clive Williams, the council's social services spokesman, said: "Of paramount importance to us and the police is the safety of the public.

"Any official social services employee will have proof of identity and, if the person on the doorstep cannot produce that, then the householder should turn them away and telephone the police immediately.

"We will, in co-operation with the police, be aiming to identify and prosecute the person who is using this letter but must ask the general public to be on their guard and contact the police if they have any suspicions."