MASKED raiders wielding baseball bats terrorised two young boys after smashing their way into a terrace house.

Two men wearing balaclavas kicked in the front door of the house in Dall Street, Burnley, and forced Steven Howarth and his friend Simon Lampard, both 11, into a bedroom before forcing them to lie face down on the floor and throwing a blanket over them. "They had baseball bats with them and told them they would smash their heads in if they got up," said Steven's dad, Albert, who had only left the house 10 minutes earlier.

"I can't believe anyone could do something like that to kids. Steven couldn't sleep that night but, luckily, he seems to have got over it now."

The children's horror ordeal started at 9.30pm on Saturday after Mr Howarth had left for a quick drink in the nearby Britannia pub, knowing that Steven's 18-year-old brother Michael would be back home within half an hour. The men kicked in the bottom half of the stable-type front door and pushed the youngsters upstairs.

They ripped out a telephone extension before searching drawers and taking a safe. In all, the raiders got away with about £2,000 cash and £200-worth of gold jewellery, including items left by Steven's mum, Jean, who died six months ago. They also took a Japanese sword.

Scenes-of-crime officers were at the house yesterday searching for fingerprints and other clues to the raiders. Detective Inspector Ron Griffiths, of Burnley CID, said: "Two persons armed with weapons forced their way into the house and threatened the two young occupants. An investigation is continuing into the incident."

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