Residents of Maidenhead have been warned to be “on their guard” after reports of a bogus Carol Vorderman were made to police. The woman, purporting to be the brainy maths millionnaire, is believed to be hawking insurance and credit cards.

Bray resident Tamara Rugby-Swithens said that she was “almost taken in” by the fake Vorderman. “She came to the door and showed us these huge teeth and this big head of hair. I was really impressed and then she started trying to sell me insurance. Any kind of insurance, really. She didn’t mind which. But then I started to suspect something when her accent slipped, so I shut the door.”

Police have warned residents that the bogus Vorderman could strike at any time, and has already conned a number of people into buying insurance that doesn’t exist.

PC Armrest-Jones of the Maidenhead Police told the Daily Shame: “This is a real shame for the real Carol Vorderman – how is she expected to go about her business of hawking insurance and credit cards? If you suspect that you’re faced with a fake Carol Vorderman, though, there are ways of determining whether she’s real or not.

“First of all, ask her a maths question – and be prepared in advance with the answer. The real one will ace it – no problem. Secondly, count her teeth. The real one has 53 – a very high number – but it’s something that separates her from everyone else.”