A PENSIONER was left fearing for her life after being attacked by three men who burst into her home.

Despite her fears, the woman, 70, chased the would-be robbers down the street as they fled Kinross Close, Audley, Blackburn, empty handed at 3.10pm on Thursday.

Detective Sergeant Mick Cross said: "It is a terrible attack. She was struggling to breathe and left in fear for her life."

One of the men locked her dog away in the kitchen, before they went into another room to rifle through her belongings.

The other man grabbed her from the sofa and threw her on to an armchair, before putting his hands over her nose and mouth. He told her: "Shut up and tell us where the money is."

The men may have been disturbed by something as they fled the ground floor flat empty handed.

The men were white, in their late 20s, wearing either tracksuit bottoms or black jeans and black waist-length jackets.

Call Blackburn police on 01254 51212.