An elderly man conned out of £65,000 and a woman left ‘barely able to speak’ have had their lives transformed after social workers stepped in to protect them.

Their cases have been been highlighted in the annual report of Sandwell’s Safeguarding Adults Board which will be discussed by councillors tonight (Monday).

The two unnamed individuals were both helped by council staff who protect adults at risk of abuse or neglect.

In one case, a 76-year-old man was targeted by fraudsters after he was put on a ‘suckers’ list’ by rogue traders who prey on vulnerable adults.

Referred to as ‘Mr C’, the report details how an investigation was launched by the council after a company providing residential care reported he had failed to pay.

Social workers visiting his home found him alone, with no food in the house, and he was confused and unaware of what was happening. He had numerous outstanding bills.

A friend told them Mr C was £8,000 in debt and had been put on the ‘suckers’ list’ used by fraudsters.

After a lengthy court case involving police and Trading Standards officers, support staff were told he would have £65,000 reimbursed.

In the second case study, a 51-year-old woman living in a care home for people with learning disabilities made rapid improvement after the intervention of social workers.

She was found to be extremely underweight, wearing old and dirty clothing and barely able to speak.

Following an investigation staff at the care home were replaced and safeguarding professionals stated they are ‘amazed at her transformation’.

When asked why she was so much better she replied the new workers were ‘nice to me and helped me’.

The report shows during 2017-18 staff dealt with 2,506 cases in relation to vulnerable adults, an increase of 98 on the previous year.

It states: “This data tells us that the safeguarding team and professionals are responding to increasingly complex safeguarding matters and ensuring that individuals with potentially increased risk are in receipt of a service.”