THREE masked raiders burst into a Blackburn home and reportedly held a gun to a young child’s head.

The gang struck at a house in Worcester Road while a mum was home alone looking after her four young children.

The woman, named locally as Mishba Pervez, and her children, who are under the age of five, were left shocked and distressed. Yesterday, police confirmed the robbers threatened the family before stealing cash, jewellery and several mobile phones.

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Mrs Pervez usually lives with her husband Naz but it is understood he was on a visit to Dubai when the robbery happened.

A neighbour in Worcester Road said: “I saw three men running from the house, with scarves pulled over their faces.

“They were running away very fast and I knew something had happened. One of them stared at me as I was watching and it was very frightening.”

The neighbour’s son went round to make sure Mrs Pervez was ok.

He said: “I knocked on the door and she answered and said she was ok but she was breathing very sharply and heavily and so I knew that something terrible had happened.

“She told me that the men forced their way in. She didn’t ask me to call the police and just kept saying she was fine.

“After that, we saw all the police cars and ambulances arrive.”

Neighbours say that Mrs Pervez took her children to a friend who lives across the street before the police arrived at the scene.

A next door neighbour said: “She went across the road and told her friend that she had been held up at gun point and that they held a gun to the child’s head.

“It’s just awful. Mishba is always smiling and happy and she is such a loving mother.

“I’m just gobsmacked that this happened to her and it’s really, really sad.”

Yesterday, police forensic teams cordoned off the house and searched the property for evidence.

The blue tape and crime scene investigation van did not leave the scene until 4.45pm.

Another resident of Worcester Road said: “It’s terrifying to think about what’s gone on.

“My husband works nights and it makes me very nervous to think that something like this can happen to a woman on her own.

“The police have been here all day but won’t tell us what’s happened and I’m getting really scared.”

Another resident said: “We heard shouting and someone swearing and calling her names but we couldn’t see anything until they came out of the house.

“There was three of them and they all ran off down the ginnel.”

Detective Inspector Marie Haworth said: “The robbery occurred at just before 9pm on Monday when three men entered the house on Worcester Road and made threats towards the occupants.

“The full circumstances around exactly what has happened are unclear at this stage and we have officers supporting the family and working with them to establish exactly what has happened.

“The men have stolen some cash, jewellery and several mobile phones.

“Fortunately no-one was injured but the victims have clearly been left very shaken and we are very keen to speak to anyone that might have any information that could assist the investigation.

“If anyone thinks they can help then we would urge them to contact police on 101.”