By RACHEL SPENCER

RAUNCHY hoax letters inviting people to join in 'swinging' parties are being sent across Warrington claiming to be from the home of an Appleton couple.

But the horrified couple who are supposed to be sending the letters are urging people to dismiss them as utter nonsense.

The filthy poison pen letters have been sent to houses across Appleton and Stockton Heath with the couple's address and phone number at the top inviting people to join in wife-swapping parties at their home.

Carefully written on an old typewriter, they give saucy descriptions of the couple and lewd accounts of their sexual prefences and the antics which take place at their parties.

It states that the couple want to set up a wife-swapping network in the area and gives details of admission fees to the parties and adds: "We do not want fogies, fatties, baldies or plain ugly cretins - only beautiful people please."

The couple, who have asked to remain anonymous, are both furious and mortified and have contacted police who are investigating the sick prank.

They first heard of the scam when a very irate woman rang up and asked if they had started a wife-swapping group.

Horrified, the husband replied they were doing nothing of the sort, and asked the woman to forward the letter to them. He said: "I told her we were a family and we have lived here for a number of years and it had nothing to do with us whatsoever. It is so annoying.

"I think most sensible people realise the letter hasn't been sent from us and we have let our close friends know in case they receive anything, but it is important that as many people as possible know this is not us."

His wife added: "I feel dreadful, it's just awful. You don't know what people think."

The letters have been sent in small white envelopes with second class stamps and a Cheshire post mark.

PC Raymond Rogerson of Warrington Police is investigating. Anyone with information about the sender of the letters should contact him or if you receive a letter, avoid putting fingerprints on it and forward it to PC Rogerson or ring him on 01244 612630.