PENSIONER Eunice Adams has told of a terrifying late night robbery at her home when three masked thugs attacked her son with a crowbar before she was confronted by a raider in her bedroom.

Sixty-seven-year-old Mrs Adams feared she could have been attacked if she had not locked herself out on an upstairs veranda before calling the police on her mobile phone.

She says has been left deeply traumatised by the raid at her home in Parkhills Road just before midnight on Wednesday, June 27.

"We were both in our beds. My 45-year-old son Robert was asleep but I was still awake," she said. "I heard a great big bang from downstairs and it turned out the robbers had smashed the rear patio doors by using some big garden ornaments."

A frightened Mrs Adams told how she heard the men enter the property before making their way upstairs. "They entered my boy's bedroom and asked him for the keys to his Mitsubishi vehicle. He had been asleep. When he said he couldn't find them, he was hit twice with a crowbar," added Mrs Adams.

"One of the masked men came into my bedroom and told me not to move. One went into the middle bedroom and went through the effects of late husband who died six years ago."

When she was left alone temporarily, Mrs Adams went on to an upstairs veranda attached to her bedroom and locked herself out before telephoning the police using her mobile phone. "I heard the men shouting, but I couldn't quite make out what they were saying. It was either she's out there' or let's get out of here.' I just don't know."

The raiders made their getaway in an unknown vehicle and the £6,500 Mitsubishi belonging to the son of Mrs Adams. Robert was treated for bruising to his arm but did not require hospital treatment.

Mrs Adams said the robbery had left them both shocked and extremely upset. "After what happened, my son didn't come home for three days. But now, he's returned to work.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's damaged me for life. It was terrifying. I've never had anything like this happen to me in my life. Getting onto the veranda saved me. What would they have done to me if I'd still been in the bedroom?"

Police are now anxious for anyone with information about the robbery to come forward. They are asked to ring Detective Sergeant Dave Baines at Bury police's robbery priority crime unit on (0161) 856 8179.