'Leave me alone' plea

The 88-year-old returned to her home on Saturday afternoon (July 17) to find all the doors open and a window smashed.

The thieves had made off with a small amount of jewellery and cash, but they also left the elderly woman feeling insecure and vulnerable.

When the pensioner realised what had happened in her home she immediately panicked as the memories of an earlier attempted burglary came flooding back.

In April she discovered a large man in her hallway who pinned her down, held her by the throat, before being gagged and told not to shout or cry.

The woman, from a family of war heroes, said the man demanded money, but ended up fleeing with nothing.

She has become so distressed following the incidents she is concerned that the cowards may strike again. For this reason she asked her address be kept out of the paper.

The woman told the 'MAIL' she was afraid to leave the house, and was so traumatised by the incidents she can't bear to sleep in her home.

The woman choked back tears as she told the 'MAIL' her story, she said: "I have very little, nothing worth stealing, but they seem to want all they can get out of me.

"The first time the man held me up by the throat and kept asking 'where's the money, give me your money' over and over again.

"Then he put his hands over my mouth and told me not to shout or cry.

"I only had a small amount of money and I would have given it to him but he ran away with nothing."

She said she had to be rushed to hospital and get treatment for her nerves

Then she realised she was the victim again after she returned from a trip around the town.

She went on: "I opened the door walked in and all the doors were open and I always close them and I walked into the bathroom and the window was smashed.

"I couldn't believe it could happen again.

"I have worked all my life and have very little, the pension doesn't go far and it’s going to be cut again - but these people just want to take it from me.

"If anyone can help then they should go to the police to help catch these people - I just want to be left in peace."