A PENSIONER was robbed by two knife-wielding attackers in a raid on his home.

Edwin Pendlebury was threatened and then beaten by the balaclava-clad thugs in the living room of his house in Leigh.

The 75-year-old was slapped across the face on a number of occasions when he refused to hand over money.

But the thieves took £200 from his bedroom and made their escape, leaving Mr Pendlebury with bruises to his eye and chin.

Speaking from his home, the widower told the Leigh Journal he had little hope of seeing his assailants brought to justice.

He said: "They were masked so I couldn't see their faces. It made it all the more terrifying for me."

Shock

Mr Pendlebury was watching television when the men smashed the lock on his back door and ran into his living room.

He added: "They could be anywhere now. I could walk past them in the street and wouldn't know them.

"I'm still in shock and it's made me afraid to answer the door. All they wanted was money."

Mr Pendlebury was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital where he was treated for shock.

He alerted detectives to the attack and they are continuing to hunt for the robbers.

Detectives have described the assailants as white, in their late teens to early 20s, between 5ft 8in and 5ft 10in and with local accents.

Anyone who may have seen anybody acting suspiciously in Diamond Street, Leigh, last Thursday should telephone the police on 0161 856 7352.