A MAN struggled with an armed burglar as he broke into his house - until a blonde female accomplice came to the intruder's rescue.

The thug was confronted by the owner of the house in Silverdale Close, off Gigg Lane, Bury and this led to a violent struggle on the front lawn.

The victim was hit in the face and had a front tooth knocked out during the fight, until the offender was eventually overpowered with the help of a passer-by.

However, as the pair held on to the burglar, a woman pulled up in a jeep and suggested they put the offender on the back seat while they waited for police officers to arrive.

After the burglar was placed in the back, the vehicle sped off.

Now police are appealing for help in tracing both the burglar and his female accomplice who struck at 11pm on Monday.

The drama unfolded when the 21-year-old man returned home and came face to face in the stairwell with a man brandishing a metal tool, thought to be a hammer or spanner.

During the struggle the man was injured and the offender lost a pair of glasses, a white Reebok trainer and a two-way radio.

The burglar's accomplice was driving a J-registered Mitsubishi Shogun-type jeep.

The victim was taken to Fairfield General Hospital for treatment to his injuries.

Detective Inspector Bill Beddows, from Bury's burglary unit, said: "Items possibly belonging to the offender have been recovered which may help in identifying him.

"However, we would clearly like to hear from anyone in the Silverdale Close area who saw a female waiting in a Mitsubishi type vehicle at the time of this incident. "

The burglar was white, aged around 28, between 5ft 9ins and 6ft, of stocky build, with fair but thinning hair. He wore a dark tracksuit top with white stripes down the sleeves.

The woman driver was white, also aged about 28, petite, with blonde highlighted hair tied in a ponytail and wore dark rimmed glasses and a white jacket.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, or who knows the whereabouts of the jeep, is asked to phone Bury burglary unit on (0161) 856 8093 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.