Beggars target optical practice

A practice in Chingford, London has been targeted two weeks in a row by Romanian beggars who have entered the store demanding money.

Vickery and Utteridge receptionist Cathy Tarrel said that she was tending to customers earlier this month when two 'nervous looking' teenage boys came in with outstretched hands but didn't appear to speak English. 'The boys didn't approach the customers and when I shook my head to say no they left.'

Tarrel said that the following week a female beggar entered the practice while a younger girl waited by the door. 'The woman came in with a piece of paper which had a typed message explaining that they were Romanian gypsies and needed money. When I told her no she started shouting at me in Romanian. I felt uncomfortable but she must have appreciated that I couldn't understand her as she left soon afterwards.'