84-year-old sends intruder packing – with a frying pan

84-YEAR-OLD SENT HOME RAIDER PACKING WITH COOKWARE

A HOME raider armed with a knife was sent reeling by an 84-year-old who attacked him with a frying pan.

The courageous pensioner hit the knifeman so ferociously the handle snapped off the pot.

And as he recovered from the ordeal at his home at Lobley Hill in Gateshead, he said: “It was scary but the adrenaline just kicked in.

“I chased after him and grabbed a frying pan.”

He had refused to hand over any cash to the armed man before chasing him off.

The offender broke into his house by removing a panel from the back door on Sunday night.

But he was forced to flee empty handed when the victim, who the Chronicle has agreed not to identify and who suffered hand injuries in the incident, grabbed the frying pan in self defence.

Recalling the terrifying moment he came face to face with the burglar, the pensioner said: “I was sitting here watching the telly and I heard a noise but I thought it was coming from the TV.

“I turned the TV down and walked to the kitchen door.

“As I opened it the burglar came in and I was face to face with him – I remember seeing the shock on his face. “Then he said: ‘Give us your f ****** money and he pulled out a knife. “It was scary but the adrenaline just kicked in. “I chased after him and grabbed a frying pan.” The burglar picked up a hammer and hit the man’s hand, leaving him with cuts and bruises. But the pensioner then hit him with a frying pan so hard the handle snapped. After being sent packing the offender made off down a back path leading under the A1. Police are now appealing for any information that could help them catch the criminal. He is described as being around 5ft 9in, white, medium build, with black crew cut hair and stubble. He was young and wearing a black tracksuit with white stripes on the arms and a hood. Det Insp Angela Hufton said: “The victim demonstrated great bravery and courage in this incident, and thankfully he was not seriously injured.

“We have officers working with him to make sure he has the appropriate support throughout our investigation as we work to identify the offender.

“An investigation has already been launched and we have detectives carrying out enquiries, officers are in the area carrying out house to house enquiries and viewing CCTV to help us identify the man responsible.”

DI Hufton added: “If anyone thinks they know who this man is, or saw anything in Lobley Hill around 9.20pm [Sunday] night that seemed suspicious or out of the ordinary then we want to hear from them.

“Often the piece of information that seems the most insignificant can be crucial in our investigation.”