Pensioner, 81, 'scared to death' after bravely fighting masked thugs ransacking her home

A pensioner who woke up to two masked thugs ransacking her house bravely tried to fight them off. Catherine Skykes, 81, heard noises at her Clifton home on Sunday (January 19) before catching the suspects in her kitchen.

She was asleep in her bedroom - which is downstairs due to her mobility issues - with her visiting friend staying in a bedroom upstairs when her house of over 20 years was broken into.

One of the masked thugs, wearing a balaclava, was downstairs. The other was upstairs. It is thought they broke in between 9.14pm and 10.32pm.

Catherine's son Anthony said his mum, who has lived alone since her partner died in 2020, has been left terrified. Family members are staying with her every night.

"She heard noises and one of the men asked her where the money was," Anthony said. "The other one took her friend's phone.

"She had a wrestle with one of them and managed to pull his balaclava off. She recalled one of them had something green and shiny in their hand, but can't remember what it was, or whether it was knife."

Anthony said the two burglars took £870 a the table in the living room. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward.

It is thought the intruders escaped over the moss at the rear. "They took the bank statement and 870 quid from the table," Anthony added. "I found the statement and £5 in an envelope in the marsh out the back.

"She's scared to death. We are all taking it in turns to stay with her because she is terrified by what happened. We've spoken to another neighbour who said there were to guys trying her door at around 9pm that night."

Greater Manchester Police said in a statement: "Shortly before 9pm on Sunday 19 January, we were called to reports that a house had been broken into