POLICE are appealing for information after a father-of-three was confronted by two armed masked men in his Durham City garden just before 5.30am on Monday.

The incident happened in Musgrave Gardens, Gilesgate, as the 34-year-old man was about to get into his car for work. He saw a man coming through the gate next door into his neighbour's garden.

The intruder, wearing a balaclava, was carrying what is described as a machete. He was joined by an accomplice, who had been hiding in the neighbour's garden, brandishing what may have been a length of piping but could also have been a firearm.

The masked men then jumped into the householder's garden, at which point he turned and ran back into his house. He had just made it through the house into the back garden, from where he called the police on his mobile phone, when he heard the sound of breaking glass from the front. When he inspected the damage later he found a glass panel in the front door had been shattered. Police firearms officers arrived within minutes but the two had fled.

The victim was unharmed, as were his wife and children, who slept through the drama.

Anyone with information should ring Durham CID on 0845 6060365 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.