Coming face to face with a burglar who potentially wants to hurt you is nothing short of a nightmare.
And while the mere thought might send shivers down your spine, it’s exactly what happened to one dad in Bolton – leaving him so shaken he now wants to up and leave the area.
Adam Waring was relaxing at his home on Drummond Street in Astley Bridge when he heard his hallway lamp fall over at around 6pm on February 5.
With his wife and children out, the dad-of-two got up to inspect the commotion. But just as he reached the doorway, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye.
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To his horror, Adam looked up to see a man standing on his staircase holding a knife. The 40-year-old screamed at the intruder to leave his house and the man fled the property.
“I could clearly see it was a large knife,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “I got really loud and shouted some abuse at him and told him to get out of my house. I chased him through the front door and called the police.
“Because he’d not got to the top [of the stairs], I had an advantage there. If he was on the same level, it could have been different.”
Adam, who works as a transport coordinator, believes the intruder let himself in through the front door after it was accidentally left unlocked.
He says the incident has left him so terrified now wants to move his family out of Astley Bridge – having already viewed several other properties outside the area.
“It’s horrible, I haven’t slept for a week,” he said. “I’m moving house because of it. I’m viewing another house tomorrow that’s not even in the area.
“I’m not a small person; I’m quite a big fella. If it was my wife and kids, things could have easily been so different. I’m just glad the fact it was me in the house and not them. My little boy, bless him, he’s only 10.
“I still don’t feel great now, to be honest. If there’s a slight noise, I turn around. I feel on edge all the time.
“I don’t want my son to have that responsibility – that if he comes home from school and doesn’t lock that door someone could be behind him.
“There are other areas within where I live where people are also trying door handles. The house is amazing. I wish this house could magically be picked up and put in a different area.”
Adam claims there is also a major problem with drug taking in Astley Bridge. “Because of the drug dealing going on, I don’t want my children seeing that as they get older and understand more,” he added.
Greater Manchester Police has been approached for comment.
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