Strongman Ray is duped by thieves

He was once one of Britain's strongest and most famous men – but that did not prevent Ray 'Willpower' Williams falling prey to a thief posing as a water board official.

The 71-year-old former strongman and stunt performer, famed across Shropshire for his feats of strength and charity work, today told of his disgust after a conman posing duped his way into his home and stole his pension money.

The thief, not content with snatching Ray's cash, also ransacked his bungalow in Shifnal in a fruitless search for more valuables.

• See more pictures in our gallery to your right

Today, widower Mr Williams branded the culprits 'scum' and warned others, particularly pensioners, to be on their guard against the man responsible.

He said: "I have learned my lesson the hard way.

"But, in some ways, I was lucky and I fear what might happen if someone more vulnerable than myself confronted this bogus water board workman."

Mr Williams said the conman struck at about 6pm on February 8 when he walked through the property's unlocked front door and said: "I have been ringing for 10 minutes but could not get a reply and there is a problem with a water blockage in this area and we have traced it to your bungalow."

Mr Williams said he followed the man into the kitchen and although he did not ask for identification he did ask if the man was genuine.

He said the man assured him he was an official and then proceeded to pretend to work under the sink and turned the taps on and off. The man then went off to supposedly look in the bathroom after telling Mr Williams to keep the kitchen taps running and check the pressure and later returned to say the problem appeared to have been fixed.

The man then left and shortly afterwards Mr Williams discovered about £140 had been taken. Police believe an accomplice searched the bungalow while the man kept Mr Williams occupied.

Police spokesman Richard Ewels said the man who kept Mr Williams occupied was white, about 5ft 8ins tall, in his mid to late 30s and stocky. He wore a dark woollen hat to hide his hair, black working jacket, dark trousers and orange and green gloves.

An appeal has also been issued for witnesses who may have seen suspicious activity in the Greenfields area at the time.

Mr Ewels said: "It is important for people not to let strangers in. Tell them to go away and that you are calling the police."

In the 1970s and 1980s, Ray performed feats of strength wearing a yellow cape with the words Danger Unlimited inscribed on it.

One of his biggest feats was carrying a one hundredweight sack of wheat for four miles and then running six miles – all in a time of one hour and 25 minutes.

Mr Williams bent iron bars, pulled a doubledecker bus with his teeth and once pushed a dried pea for two-and-a-quarter miles. In 1971 he failed by just two ounces to beat the world cheese-eating record.

During one of his stunts, he pushed his wife Edna in a wheelchair for 20 miles and pulled a Land Rover at the same time.