A BENTHAM woman has spoken of her shock and anger after intruders pushed her to the ground during a burglary.

Liz Swarbrick was left with bruising to her hip and shoulder after one of the raiders who had broken into her Grasmere Drive home slammed her into a stone kitchen wall and then onto the floor.

The burglars - who struck on Sunday, November 25 - left with her engagement ring, Christmas presents and a series of other valuables.

The mother-of-three said she was awoken by her dog, Butch, who wanted to go outside at 5.40am. Her partner Tracy Cockerton, had just left for work at Angus Fire.

She went downstairs and saw a man running out of a back room.

“He pushed me into the wall and said ‘Don’t do anything stupid’ because I tried to grab his leg,” said Ms Swarbrick. “He ran down the alley and I heard him shout: ‘Get the van going’. I was just glad the kids were away.”

The burglars were seen escaping in a dark coloured van, a bit smaller than a Transit van.

“It just makes me really angry,” said Ms Swarbrick. “It could have been someone local who knows what shifts we work.”

She added that she had been finding it hard to sleep at night since the raid.

Police said one of the intruders is described as white, of thin build, about 5ft 8in to 5ft 10in tall, aged between 18 and 25 years, with short dark hair and was wearing dark clothing. He had a local North Yorkshire accent. The second burglar was unseen.

Stolen from the premises was a silver and black Seiko man’s watch, a black Tom Tom Go sat nav, some clothing, a wallet and belt branded ‘Police’. Some distinctive jewellery was also stolen including two silver Pandora bracelets.

Anyone with information can call PC Barbara Parsons at Ingleton Police Station on 101.