"They will not break my spirit"

Widower Jim Wadsworth suffered minor cuts and bruising after two thugs burst into his flat in Roch Crescent, Whitefield on Tuesday evening (April 30).

He was knocked to the floor and punched and kicked by one man while the second attacker ransacked his bedrooms.

The attack comes just one week after a frail 89-year-old woman, Mrs Margaret Chorlton, suffered multiple injuries in a similar attack at her Ainsworth home by a lone raider.

Mr Wadsworth (82) said he was watching Manchester United's football match in the lounge of his first floor flat when the doorbell rang at around 8.05pm.

On answering the door, Mr Wadsworth could only see one man but after becoming suspicious he tried to shut the door on him and a second man appeared.

They pushed at the door and ripped the security chain from the door frame causing Mr Wadsworth to fall back.

While one man wrestled with the feisty 82-year-old the second man searched the bedrooms looking for money.

He said: "One of the men put his hand over my face. I couldn't breathe. I fell to the ground and tried to fight with him. I fought him and wrestled with him. I kept telling them there was no money."

After being punched in the face and kicked while on the ground, Mr Wadsworth managed to get to his feet only to be knocked to the floor a second time.

"They kept telling me to 'shut up or else'. But I thought 'they are not going to get the better of me'. One of them said that he couldn't hold me for much longer and urged the other to hurry up."

The two thugs fled the property empty handed.

An ex-soldier, Mr Wadsworth spent seven years in the desert during the second world war as part of the 8th army.

He was glad he put up a brave fight against his attackers but added: "Looking back I must have been stupid. They were two big fellas but I travelled through the desert from Egypt to Italy when I was younger."

Still playing football at the age of 42, Mr Wadsworth worked in the clothing industry before starting a new career after retirement and worked until he was 75 as a commissionaire in Manchester.

Back at home after a night at North Manchester General Hospital and nursing his sore body he said: "This is my home and I am not going to lie down and die so easily. They think a pensioner is an easy target but they got a surprise when this one started to fight back. They will not break my spirit. I will give as good as I get but I want them caught as someone else might not be so lucky next time."

PC John Flowers of Bury's Operational Police Unit described the latest attack as "shocking" and said the offenders were cowards.

He said: "I would urge anyone who saw the men force their way into the man's home to call the police immediately."

Both attackers are said to be white, 6ft tall and in their 30s. They also wore black coloured jackets and used scarfs to cover their faces.

Anyone who has any information about the attack or the two offenders should contact Whitefield CID on 0161 856 8248 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.