A POPULAR entertainer on the local club scene has talked to the Star about her horrific ordeal of waking up in the middle of the night to see a shadowy intruder looming over her in the bedroom as she was burgled for the second time in the same week.

Cynthia Dean from Earlestown, who is the mother of 80's singing sensation Rick Astley, simply could not believe it when burglars struck again.

The 67-year-old, who is a respected figure in the area, exclusively told The Star: "I was amazed to find somebody had entered the property again. I am very upset and angry about what has happened because it is now difficult to sleep at night. You feel a prisoner in your own home.

"I saw the shadow of a man in my bedroom and froze with fear and prayed that nothing was going to happen to me.

"For somebody to carry out an act of this nature is the lowest of the low. It has not only affected me but also members of my family. On a positive note everybody who lives close by have been wonderful and supportive through what has been a very difficult time."

Her nightmare began in the early hours of Wednesday morning (March 14), after Cynthia had been out for the evening with friends. When she returned at about 12.30am Cynthia noticed certain things were different in the house. The blinds in the kitchen were slightly open and the curtains in the sitting room had been drawn completely.

"At this point I felt very scared so I went next door and woke Frank up who is a good neighbour and a close friend."

The intruder who was wearing gloves had prised open the lock on one of the kitchen windows and left all the ornaments in the yard along with the tools used to break in.

Her bag which had been left upstairs was in the sitting room with the contents strewn across the floor. The thief had stolen £135 in cash. After that Cynthia immediately took security precautions. The kitchen window had been fitted with a new lock and she had taken the purse out of her bag and hidden it.

But on the Thursday, Cynthia could almost sense something was going to happen. She spent that evening in the hallway until 2am listening for strange noises. Feeling very tired, she eventually went to bed but kept the radio on to stay awake. Less than an hour later, she awoke to discover a man standing over her. He had entered the house using the other kitchen window.

Cynthia dialled 999 on her mobile, but when the police arrived the man had vanished.

A spokesperson for St Helens Police, said: "We arrested a man in connection with the burglary but he was later released without charge pending further enquiries.

"We are fully aware of the kind of trauma a burglary can cause to the individual and members of her family. It is our policy to remain vigilant and a number of crime patrols will be keeping an eye on the area."

In order to try and prevent a similar incident happening again the house has been fully alarmed and a new lock has been put on the other kitchen window.