A PENSIONER has been left terrified by two attacks in his own home in the past couple of years.

Kenneth Cooper, 66, was pushed to the ground, covered with a jacket and punched by two youths who broke into his Stockton home on Tuesday night.

They rifled through the stunned pensioner's pockets and fled with cash, leaving him badly shocked and suffering from bumps and bruises and a trapped nerve in his back.

Mr Cooper, who has asthma and is awaiting a double hip replacement operation, was targeted in a similar attack by a drug addict last year.

Now he is asking the housing association that owns his flat, at Tilery Road, Stockton, to transfer him to a different address.

He said: "I'm terrified to go home. I've got good neighbours but they can't be watching me 24 hours a day. I think there's a problem in the area - we've got drug addicts living in the neighbourhood - and I'm hoping the housing association will move me elsewhere."

In last year's incident, a youth on drugs barged into Mr Cooper's flat and started helping himself to his belongings. When Mr Cooper told him to leave, he attacked him. The intruder fled when a neighbour arrived.

An similar scenario occurred at 9.45pm on Tuesday, after the pensioner heard a knock on his kitchen door.

When he opened it, one youth punched him in the mouth as the pair forced their way in.

They continued to strike him on the head although he was having an asthma attack, pushing him to the floor to rob him.

One of the attackers is 5ft 9ins, skinny, with short, blond hair. He was wearing a grey top and dark trousers.

The other is slightly shorter with thick black hair and was wearing a black jumper and trousers.

Detective Constable Bruce Thorpe said: "It was a despicable attack on a defenceless man."

He asked anyone with information to ring police on (01642) 326326 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.