A RETIRED jeweller told today how he fought masked robbers who threatened to torture him by cutting off his toes.

Market trader Keith Langfield, 65, was beaten and tied up in the 20-minute ordeal in his home and only gave in to villains demanding a safe key when they said he would be dismembered.

But the pensioner was defiant and said today: "I could have managed one of them but not two."

Bachelor Mr Langfield said the men, wearing ski-masks and boiler suits, burst into his home in Hallam Road, Nelson, at 4am yesterday.

He suffered a broken jaw, a black and swollen left eye and cuts and bruises. He was released from hospital after checks.

Mr Langfield, who trades on the Wednesday flea market in Burnley, said: "I was asleep in bed when the men kicked my bedroom door down and ran in shouting and demanding my safe key.

"They threatened me with all sorts even using an electric iron to burn me to bits. They also threatened to stab me with a screwdriver.

"I struggled with them for a long time, perhaps 20 minutes. They kept hitting me and eventually overpowered me and tied me up.

"I thought I could handle it but I have got too old at 65.

"One of them got a big pair of scissors and started attempting to cut my toes off. I had bare feet because I had been in bed. I thought then it was safer to tell them where the key was.

"They got everything I had been saving for my pension, about £1,800 in cash and gold jewellery valued at £8,000 retail.

"One of them kept calling me a silly old man and asked why I kept on struggling. He was also swearing a lot."

Mr Langfield eventually managed to phone the police and was taken to Burnley General Hospital and later allowed home. As the plucky pensioner was leaving the house to go to hospital yesterday he defiantly shouted to a neighbour that he would not have given the pair anything if they had not threatened to chop off his toes.

Police said Mr Langfield suffered an horrific ordeal at the hands of the men.

Officers investigating the raid have carried out extensive house to house inquiries and are appealing for witnesses to come forward with any information. Detective Inspector Stuart Barlow said: "He is in very good health considering the injuries, although he looks awful.

"House to house inquiries are taking place and I am appealing to any person who saw anything at that time to let us know ."

Mr Langfield has described both attackers. One was about 5ft 9ins tall in black trainers and a had deep voice with a hint of an Irish accent.

The other was 5ft 10ins tall, of a stocky build with a deep voice and a southern accent but not 'cockney'.

Neighbour and long-time friend George Porter said: "Keith is as good a bloke as you could wish to meet.

"He is a good neighbour and will do anything for anyone. Just last week he went down to the park where there was broken glass and debris and collected it up in bags.

"He is a nice quiet neighbour, absolutely harmless. He is a good friend and it is awful to think something like this could happen in his own home. It is terrible."

Nelson CID can be contacted on 01282 472645.