A RETIRED Royal Marine has spoken of the moment he saw off a pair of armed intruders who threatened to shoot him on his doorstep.

Will Clarke

A RETIRED Royal Marine has spoken of the moment he saw off a pair of armed intruders who threatened to shoot him on his doorstep.

Leon Humphreys, 65, was watching TV at home off Fornham Road, Bury St Edmunds, on Tuesday when he heard a disturbance outside.

But when he challenged the two men he found lurking outside his house he was shocked to find them armed.

“I was in my home when I heard a noise outside,” he said. “It was quite close to the door and when I got up to see I noticed movement through a window.

“When I opened the door I must have surprised him because I was told - 'stand back or I'll shoot' but he didn't say it very forcefully as he was putting his hand up to pull his scarf over his face.

“I noticed that he didn't have a gun but his friend did - a revolver type gun.

“He was waving it around and I thought what a clown and I thought it was a joke - I thought he was going to squirt me with water.

“I was told again to stand back but I grabbed the first guy and reached to grab a kitchen knife - and they just bolted.

“It was all over in a fraction of a minute.

“If it had been a real gun he should have been more scared than I was.”

Detectives have said they are taking the case seriously and have appealed for information on the two assailants.

A police spokeswoman said: “At around 10.10pm a man heard noises outside his front door. He went to the door and found two males outside, who threatened him with what is believed to be a firearm. The man challenged the males and they ran off down Avenue Approach.”

The first would be robber is described as white, between 5ft 10in and 6ft tall, of average build, with blue eyes and was wearing black or navy clothing including a woollen hat and gloves, a shiny black jacket and a scarf over his face.

The second man is described as white, between 5ft 6 and 5ft 8 in tall, of average build and was wearing black or navy clothing including a woollen hat and gloves and a scarf over his face.

Anybody with information on the incident should contact DC Mel Stammers at Bury CID on 01284 774100 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.