'It felt like an hour': man beaten by gunman in his Northampton home

Witnesses or anyone with information about this incident should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Incident Number:17000525376

The incident happened on Saturday, December 2, between 7.50pm and 8.10pm in St Paul's Road in Semilong, when one of the victims answered the door to three men, one of whom was carrying what appeared to be a firearm.

The victim, who has asked for anonymity, said: "We were in the front room watching TV, having a little drink. We have a lodger on the top floor, he was with us as well.

"There was a knock at the door, not unusual at 8pm. Next minute, I heard crashing. My partner shouted 'get out, get out, get out'.

The incident took place in this street on Saturday evening (December 2).

"I went to the drawing room door, I saw a masked man with a gun. I slammed the door shut and said to the lodger, 'call the police'.

"I held the door with everything I could because they were trying to get in.

"My partner was being attacked in the doorway. It felt like an hour but it was probably one minute or two."

One of the men assaulted the victim by punching him and knocking him to the floor. He then entered the upstairs of the house and stole a safe from the victim’s bedroom.

The men were all wearing black face coverings and left the property carrying a cream-coloured safe.

He added: "My partner was quite badly hurt - he went to the doctors and has lost the use in part of his arm, he can't move it properly.

"On Monday night, the CID came, they knocked at the door at about 9.30pm. We were petrified, we thought it was them."

The victim, who was assaulted in the doorway, also suffered a bump on the nose after being punched as well as a split lip.