'We saw them on CCTV and hid the kids - they came at us swinging knives'

'People don't think about the impact this has on families'

A dad was 'threatened with a knife' at his own front door during an attempted armed burglary in Trafford.

Darren Pendleton was enjoying a quiet night in with his family at their Bowdon flat when he spotted several men 'snooping around' outside at around 10.30pm on May 21.

His wife was forced to wake up their children and hide them as ex-commando Darren decided to confront the robbers, who he believes were trying to burgle the flat.

As he opened his front door, the men - who had already entered the building - swiped his wife's phone from her hand before brandishing knives at at them and eventually fleeing.

"I saw they were snooping on my CCTV so my wife hid the kids and then we went out and challenged them," Darren told the Manchester Evening News. "But they were armed with knives came at me and swinging them."

He said he managed to slam the door shut before getting on the phone to the police, who attended quickly. It is understood no arrests have been made.

It isn't the first time Darren and his family have been victims of this type of crime. The family's Rolls Royce was stolen off their driveway last year.

"From my background and in my own house I have no issues, I can hold my own," Darren said. "But I think people need to know this is a problem in Bowdon and a problem in Hale.

"People think 'oh it won't happen to me', but it will."

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: "Officers are investigating following reports of a robbery at an address in Altrincham, at around 10.30pm on 21 May.

"It is believed that several males threatened the occupants in the communal area and car park of their building, before taking their phone.

"Enquiries are currently ongoing and no arrests have yet been made.

"Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101 or gmp.police.uk, quoting log CRI/06MM/0007831/25. Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111."