UNDER controversial new sentencing guidelines brought in by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, judges are being told not to jail burglars who would otherwise have been jailed for 18 months of less.

And the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine claims that most people support such lenient treatment. But burglary can have a devastating affect. Crime reporter Lucie McFall has spoken to some victims.

"I STILL haven't go over the shock yet," says 91-year-old Mary Dootson who was burgled two months ago.

The pint-size pensioner bravely fought off the robbers with her walking stick after they climbed through her kitchen window.

The great grandmother was watching television when the two men walked into her living room in November.

They had unscrewed the kitchen lightbulb and had already searched through the drawers in her bedroom.

Mrs Dootson, who worked as a crane driver during the war, managed to call 999 before she hit one of the burglars in the face with her stick.

When she began screaming, they jumped through the open window of her bungalow in Thorn Well, Westhougton, and fled empty-handed.

The pensioner has been left badly shaken by the break in.

She said: "They treated me like a child so I went along with it and as soon as I could reach my stick, I hit one of them in the face.

"I didn't know what to do but I knew I had to defend myself.

"If they are caught, I hope they go to prison. I think the burglar would have liked to have hit me back but I wasn't going to let him. They are despicable people. Picking on elderly people is disgusting."

The defiant pensioner fears the incident will never leave her for the rest of her life.

She said: "I am not so good now. I don't sleep at night very well. At least if they were in prison I would have the satisfaction of knowing they are off the streets and cannot rob anyone else."

PENSIONER Norman Stott used to love nothing better than listening to his songbirds.

The Harwood grandfather has kept birds all his life and they were his pride and joy.

But one night, raiders cut through a mesh fence and stole 10 canaries.

Not content with their haul, they returned a week later and stole another 16 including three chicks and a baby finch.

They left behind just four birds and a clutch of eggs which had no chance of hatching without their parents.

Mr Stott and his wife Theresa were left broken-hearted.

Not only did they lose their beloved birds but also their sense of security.

Mr Stott, who worked as a metal polisher at Victoria Mills for 15 years, said: "They should go to prison. Life today is very frightening. We are too frightened to open the front door."

No one has been caught for either of these two offences. If you have any information call Astley Bridge CID on 0161 856 5740.