Baseball gang target elderly pair

A masked gang burst into the home of an elderly couple in West Yorkshire and attacked them before fleeing as neighbours noticed the fracas.

Police said three or four masked men forced their way in to the Lister Lane home of the 78-year-old woman and her 76-year-old husband in Bradford.

But the twilight raiders, who were armed with baseball bats, fled the scene empty-handed.

West Yorkshire officers said the men left in a black 07 registered BMW car.

The gang found the woman in the house and one of the group pushed her down and pinned to the ground while the rest searched the building.

The woman's husband was attacked when he tried to stop the group and was hit with what police believed was a baseball bat.

By now neighbours had noticed a disturbance and began shouting at the men inside the house who fled empty-handed in a black BMW which was parked outside.

The woman suffered a broken arm and is being treated in hospital while her husband, who was also treated in hospital for minor injuries was discharged.

Det Insp Peter Craig said: "This was a brutal attack on an elderly and vulnerable couple and we need to find those responsible as soon as possible.

"We are keen to speak to anyone who saw the robbery or the black possibly 07 plate BMW which was parked outside the house."