POLICE are investigating whether two thugs who brutally robbed a 97-year-old woman in her own home were the same men who had visited the day before.

Winifred Bloor, of Thorn Street, Woodville, was sitting in her living room when her attackers came in through an unlocked door on Wednesday at 1pm.

They pinned her to a chair, threatened her and then yanked rings from her fingers, leaving her hands bruised and bleeding.

Now police have confirmed they are investigating a possible link between that incident and a visit from two suited men who said they were from the gas board.

They came to her house at 2pm on Tuesday.

Mrs Bloor's grandson, Robert Morton, 46, of Swadlincote, said they had claimed there had "been some explosions at a factory" and needed to check her gas.

He said: "She told them she only had a gas cooker. They asked if they could check her radiators, I think on the basis that they were part of the gas system.

"She said she hadn't got any radiators, just a coal fire that heats the water. At that point the postman came with the afternoon delivery and off they went.

"They didn't speed off or run away, they just left."

Mr Morton said his grandmother told the men "not to bother with the next two homes because they hadn't got gas".

He said he did not know if they had tried knocking on the doors of any of Mrs Bloor's neighbours.

The next day, the grandmother was robbed by two men after leaving her door unlocked, apparently because she was waiting for a friend.

Mr Morton previously said the men threatened to kill the terrified pensioner.

He said: "One of them said 'Tell me where the money is or I'll kill you'. They smashed the telephone fitting off the wall so she couldn't call for help."

He said they "yanked" rings off her fingers, snatched a gold half-sovereign necklace from her neck and stole cash.

Mr Morton said his grandmother, 98 in May, was able to get down a lane next to her home to alert a security guard at a nearby industrial site, who called the police.

A force spokeswoman confirmed that one lead which officers were following was the visit by the two men the day before the robbery.

She said: "It's possible they were the same men."

Mrs Bloor gave police a description of her attackers. One was white, of large build, in his 30s and wearing dark clothes.

The other man was also white and in his 20s.

Mr Morton added that his grandmother said the younger man was "smaller" than the other. Neither wore masks.

Officers are investigating and anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.