AN ELDERLY couple from the Northallerton area are threatening to take a housing association to court after they found burglars in their home.

The couple claim they had complained several times that the lock on their front door was faulty.

They say Home Housing Association, of Wetherby, did nothing until after the burglary.

The 81-year-old wife said: "The money was to pay bills.

"When I found the burglars in our house, they said they had come about the repairs."

She rang Home Housing Association, and found it had not sent anyone. Then she discovered the money gone.

Association spokeswoman Carol Ramsay said they had no record of any complaint before the burglary and, once made aware of it, had repaired the lock immediately.