Battered veteran back at Salterforth home for Christmas (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Battered veteran back at Salterforth home for Christmas

9:30pm Friday 19th December 2008 in

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AN 89-year-old war veteran who was battered by burglars recovered enough in time to spend Christmas with his family.

Police said Bob Schofield, who was left beaten and bloodied following a burglary in his own home, was recently released from Airedale Hospital.

Mr Schofield was attacked after confronting intruders who had broken into his home in Chapel Hill, Salterforth, as he and his wife Mollie were sleeping.

The war veteran, who served in the Royal Navy and fought during the Second World War crewing escort ships on North Atlantic convoy missions from Scapa Flow to Murmansk, suffered severe facial injuries in the attack in the early hours of November 10.

But after spending six weeks in hospital, the courageous pensioner, is now set to see in the new year with his family, including his wife, 87.

Four days after the attack, police arrested two men on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary before releasing them on bail pending further enquiries.

The men, aged 17 to 55, are members of a door to door sales team from Blackpool, believed to have been working in Salterforth.

Anyone with information should call Nelson CID on 01282 472644 or Crime-stoppers on 0800 555111.