A TERRIFIED pensioner was injured during a struggle with an axe-wielding house raider — who then made off with a stash of jewellery.

The offender smashed through the front window of the elderly couple’s bungalow in Foster Lane, Breightmet, at about 8.15am on Saturday.

The 83-year-old man suffered a cut to his palm, believed to be from the axe, after challenging the raider in the front room of the property.

Police and ambulance crews were alerted to the raid when the man’s brave 80-year-old wife managed to dial 999 as the struggle unfolded. The male attacker then fled the scene on foot. The elderly man was taken to hospital but his injury is not thought to be serious.

The large front window — which was broken by the burglars using the axe — has since been boarded up and family members were understood to be comforting the couple following the incident.

A neighbour in Foster Lane, who did not wish to be named, said: “It was so early in the morning on a Saturday, I didn’t hear anything until all of a sudden the police cars and ambulance crews arrived at the property. I hope the family are ok.

“It’s not the first time a house has been burgled round here before.

“It happened to me not so long ago.”

George Strickleton, aged 61, of nearby Dovedale Road, said: “It’s seems strange for something like this to have happened round here.

“This is normally a very quiet place.”

Police say a “quantity of jewellery” was taken but could not disclose the value of the items.

A police spokesperson said: “Our inquiries into this incident are ongoing.”