Police are hunting would-be thieves who tried to break into the flat of a frail, elderly woman at a Dundee nursing home.

The thieves were disturbed by the 70-year-old as they tried to enter her flat at Kingsburn Court Nursing Home, in the city's Pitalpin Street, late on Tuesday night.

They were scared off, leaving their intended victim — who is described as "very frail" — uninjured but shaken.

Local councillor Tom Ferguson said he feared that the attempted theft could just be the start of a string of such incidents.

He said: "It now seems that the kind of people who participate in this kind of low-life crime are now moving into that area of Lochee. This kind of thing is only just starting and that's what's worrying me.

"It's absolutely despicable that members of society can stoop to this. If we can identify whoever it is doing that then I'd want to see them taken out of our area."

Police appealed for witnesses who saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area at around 11.25pm on Tuesday to call them on 0300 111 2222, or speak to any officer.