A FAMILY have spoken of their terror and shock over an incident where bricks were thrown at their house in what they believe to be a random attack.

The incident happened on the quiet residential street of Rhodes Avenue, off Pleckgate Road in Blackburn, at 1am on Monday. 

The six family members were woken by the sound of breaking glass. 

The front door was smashed in, a car vandalised and glass was strewn across the children’s bedrooms. The family say they have been left traumatised by the incident.

A resident of the address said: “It was terrifying. We have never had any issues with anyone and cannot understand why this was happening. At first, we thought it was some explosion and our first thoughts was to look after the safety of the children.

“We have four daughters, youngest is three years old at nursery. 

“All the windows and the door at the front of house have been destroyed and the car windows were also smashed in. 

“We could see three to four people in balaclavas with sledgehammers outside.

“They have thrown bricks in the upstairs windows which resulted in my girls being covered in glass. They were petrified and we thought our house was collapsing. It has left us baffled and disturbed and we still cannot comprehend what has happened. Somebody could have been killed.

“We contacted the police and my wife is already dreading it going dark.”

Lancashire Telegraph:

The doors was smashed in and bricks landed in the children's bedroom

The family are hoping more can be done to stop this happening to anyone else.

The resident said he had been reminded of an incident in 2010 when a couple died after  four men set fire to the wrong house in London Road.

The homeowner said: “It just shows no lessons have been learned from previous attacks which have resulted in deaths such as the attack on the mistaken home on London Road and student Aya Hachem who paid with her life because of a rivalry. It’s us, the innocents, who pay with our life or our peace of mind. 

“We are being made to feel unsafe in an environment which should be a safe space. 

“Surely they (the police) should be putting more resources behind such incidents where innocent families or people fall victim because someone has mistaken the identity.”

A police spokesperson said: “We were called at around 1.04am today (Monday) to reports of criminal damage to a house on Rhodes Avenue, Blackburn. 

“We attended and found windows had been smashed on the house and the offenders had made off. Enquiries are ongoing and anybody with information is asked to get in touch on 101, quoting log 73 of October 4th.”