THE distressed family of a Wythall pensioner who suffered a heart attack after being approached by a door to door salesman is warning others to remain vigilant.

William Frith, aged 84, received a visit on Friday, September 25 from a man who said he wanted to repair his driveway.

After heated exchanges, Mr Frith told the man, described as in his 50s with dark hair and wearing a black quilted jacket to go away but he was persistent and said he would return the next day.

The man left in a white van which had two initials on its side followed by the words ‘Home Improvements’.

Mr Frith’s daughter, Pat Walker, from Redditch, became worried when she called her father later that day.

Mrs Walker rushed to his house but when she reached her father he looked unwell so she called an ambulance and he was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

Test results the next day confirmed he had suffered a heart attack and a stroke.

Mrs Walker said: “I want to warn people not to open their doors.

“There are a lot of vulnerable people around there (Wythall) and I am worried.

“Older people are too trusting; they do not think it will happen to them. We should be able to live in our own homes securely and not have to worry.”

The next day the man returned to the house where he was greeted by Mrs Walker who told him her father had gone into hospital following his visit.

The man apologised and Mrs Walker suggested he leave and told him she had contacted the police.

Since Mr Frith’s heart attack residents living nearby have been in touch with his family concerned about what had happened.

“The community are up in arms, cursing themselves because they were not about,” Mrs Walker added.

“They want to help, young and old.”

A police spokesman said they had carried out door to door visits but had no lines of inquiry to follow up at this time.

Earlier in the month, Mr Frith suffered another heart attack and had only returned home a week before the incident.