MASKED raiders broke into a house holding a girls’ sleepover party — and gagged one of the children with masking tape before ransacking the house.

The three-strong gang broke in the home in Horrocks Road, Edgworth, and searched a number of rooms before confronting the youngsters, aged 10 and 13.

The younger girl’s brother, 20, was watching TV in another room when the men broke in at 11.30pm on Saturday.

He was babysitting while their parents were on a night out in Manchester.

Last night, the 10-year-old girl spoke of her terror. She said: “I was really scared. We both thought it was my brother messing about at first because they were wearing balaclavas.

“It was only when my friend started screaming and crying that I realised what was happening. I thought we were going to die.”

The girl’s dad, aged 37, said he would now install extra security measures.

“It was very traumatic for the kids. She won’t go anywhere on her own now. I’m going to put panic buttons in every room and more CCTV cameras up. You won’t be able to get in here.”

The men forced their way in through a ground floor window before ransacking two rooms. They were discovered when they burst into the girl’s bedroom, however, and found one of the youngsters still awake and playing on a computer.

The 10-year-old had stepped out of the room for a few minutes, leaving her older friend playing alone in her bedroom.

Moments later she heard a scream and went back to see what was going on.

She opened her bedroom door and saw three men wearing black ski masks putting tape over her friend’s mouth.

She had a mobile phone in her hand at the time, and one of the men snatched it off her to prevent her raising the alarm.

While the men were distracted, however, the 13-year-old managed to pull the tape off her mouth and began screaming for help.

The robbers fled, but one of them returned to warn them: “If you keep quiet you won’t be hurt”, before escaping through the window.

The terrified 10-year-old used another phone to call the police. It is not known whether the robbers took anything other than the girl’s phone.

Detective Inspector Andy Hulme, who is leading the investigation, said: "This was an extremely traumatic incident and the young victims have understandably been left very shaken and upset by their ordeal.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Lancashire police on 08451 253545 or Crimestoppers, anony-mously, on 0800 555111.