A RETIRED fire officer who was subjected to a terrifying attack says he is constantly concerned about the security of his home — after his attacker was jailed for more than three years.

Marcus Cameron broke into the 67-year-old's house on New Year's Eve, and committed a vicious assault leaving him suffering from a broken hand, two black eyes and cuts and bruises across his legs and back.

But the brave father-of-two and grandad-of-four tried to fight Cameron off, using an iron bar to hit back.

Cameron, aged 25, was jailed for 37 months at Bolton Crown Court last week for burglary and assault.

The man, who has asked to remain anonymous, says he has made a full recovery from the attack after having spent six weeks in plaster, but that the incident continues to affect him.

He also said that he was happy with the sentence given to Cameron, of Tonge Moor Road.

The man, who reached the senior rank of station officer in the fire service, said: "I thought the sentence was just considering his age, and I was fairly satisfied with it.

"I am fine and have made a full recovery, but it was just the trauma of it all.

"I have never locked my back door in the past 30 years I have lived here, but now I am obsessed with making sure it is closed and secure."

At the time, the victim made an emotional appeal to The Bolton News, saying he wanted his attacker to be caught "before he does some real harm or if he attacks someone who frail who cannot fight back".

He said that he thought his son had come home early, only to find Cameron wearing a hoodie in his dining room at about 9pm.

The man told him that he was in the wrong home, and gently pushed him to the back door.

But Cameron grabbed his tracksuit and pulled it over his head before attacking him.

The man later remembered he had a metal bar behind his kitchen door to help him open it when it sticks, which he then used as a makeshift weapon.

Cameron was sentenced to 15 months in prison for burglary, and a further 22 months for actual bodily harm.