A FRIGHTENED father today recalled the moment bogus social workers tried to undress and examine his baby.

Emlyn Jones said the two women had claimed they were investigating spurious claims that his sixteen-month-old son, Tyler, had been mistreated.

The pair - who wore suits and claimed to be social workers - tried to undress Tyler in a doorstep search for bruises. But Tyler's mum, Tammy Scaife, grew suspicious. Fearing the women may try to take Tyler, she refused to let them in when they failed to produce ID.

Police today confirmed they were investigating the visit, and county council officials expressed their concern at what had happened.

Mr Jones warned parents: "Be on your guard. Your child could be next."

The incident happened at St Peter's Quarter, off Leeman Road. Miss Scaife was confronted by the two women, aged about 40, at 12.40pm last Friday.

"They said they received a complaint about my son," recalled joiner Mr Jones, 27.

"They started trying to take his clothes off looking for bruises.

"My girlfriend stopped them. No social worker in their right mind would do something like that."

"They were forcing things verbally, so Tammy asked them for ID."

They said they would return in an hour, but the shaken mum called 999. Officers later confirmed no check visit was planned.

Mr Jones, who praised his partner's response, said: "There was definitely a sinister motive. The women said we had been out the day before. We had, so if they wanted to break in they would have done so then."

Noting they had paperwork with Tyler's full name and birthday, he added: "It was well planned.

"If they had got hold of Tyler it could have been disastrous. He could have been sold or targeted by paedophiles. Police should have made people aware. What if these women tried another child and were successful?"

Similar incidents have been reported in Leeds, but Mr Jones said photos of suspects involved there did not tally with the York descriptions.

Miss Scaife, 21, said: "Something's going on in the area. I think people need to be aware of this - another family might not be as lucky as we were."

One of the women was tall, with blonde hair and glasses. The other was small and had shoulder-length dark-curly hair. Both wore glasses and carried a briefcase. One wore a blue suit, the other a grey one.

A County Council spokesman confirmed they were treating the incident seriously.

He said genuine care officials carried ID and provided a phone number for concerned people to call and check. They never turned up without making an appointment first.

Updated: 10:27 Saturday, November 29, 2003