At around 9.45pm on Wednesday 16 November, the couple were at home on Leyland Avenue when the doorbell rang. It is understood that a man wearing a skull mask forced entry when the 73-year-old man opened the door.

The suspect is then reported to have threatened the couple with a knife, demanding money. When they told him they didn’t have any, he is believed to have assaulted the 71-year-old woman, hitting her with the base of the knife repeatedly on the head.

It is understood that the couple tried to fight back, and the woman attempted to open the front door to raise the alarm but was dragged back into the property by the suspect. He eventually fled the property with a small amount of cash.

The 71-year-old woman required hospital treatment for her head injury.

The suspect has been described by the victims as a white man in his early 20s, approximately 5ft 8ins tall, with fair hair and pale skin. He is reported to have been wearing dark clothing – slim trousers and a dark jacket with a hood, and a distinctive red/black skull Halloween mask. He is also believed to have been wearing thin gloves. The victims report that he spoke with a local accent and a deep voice.

Anyone with CCTV footage who may have captured the suspect is urged to get in touch with detectives.

Anyone with information should call 101 quoting incident number 1054 of 16 November 2022. If you have CCTV footage, you can email this to [email protected] – quote the same incident number in the email subject.

Alternatively, if you prefer not to give your personal details, you can stay anonymous and pass on what you know by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers. Call their UK Contact Centre on freephone 0800 555 111 or complete a simple and secure anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.